The composition can also be expressed in terms of chemicals, such as:
- Water
- Proteins – including those of hair, connective tissue, etc.
- Fats (or lipids)
- Apatite in bones
- Carbohydrates such as glycogen and glucose
- DNA
- Dissolved inorganic ions such as sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate
- Gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrogen, carbon monoxide,methanethiol. These may be dissolved or present in the gases in the lungs or intestines.Ethane and pentane are produced by oxygen free radicals.[14]
- Many other small molecules, such as amino acids, fatty acids, nucleobases, nucleosides,nucleotides, vitamins, cofactors.
- Free radicals such as superoxide, hydroxyl, and hydroperoxyl.
The composition of the human body can be viewed on an atomic and molecular scale as shown in this article.
The estimated gross molecular contents of a typical 20-micrometre human cell is as follows:[15]
Molecule | Percent of Mass | Mol.Weight (daltons) | Molecules | Percent of Molecules |
---|---|---|---|---|
Water | 65* | 18* | 1.74e14 | 98.73 |
OtherInorganics | 1.5 | N/A | 1.31e12 | 0.74 |
Lipids | 12 | N/A | 8.4e11 | 0.475 |
OtherOrganics | 0.4 | N/A | 7.7e10 | 0.044 |
Protein | 20 | N/A | 1.9e10 | 0.011 |
RNA | 1.0 | N/A | 5e7 | 3e-5 |
DNA | 0.1 | 1e11 | 46* | 3e-11 |
*Water: Obviously the amount of water is highly dependent on body composition and amount of fat. In adults in developed countries it actually averages ~53% water. This varies substantially by age, sex, and adiposity. In a large sample of adults of all ages and both sexes, the figure for water fraction by weight was found to be 48 ±6% for females and 58 ±8% water for males.[16] DNA: A human cell also contains mitochondrial DNA. Sperm cells contain less mitochondrial DNA than other cells. A mammalian red blood cell contains no nucleus and thus no DNA.