How many times have your cells divided?

  • You have about 200 trillion somatic cells, all derived from a single zygote by mitosis.

  • Each round of mitosis produces 2 daughter cells:
  • So, your average cell has divided about 48 times since the zygote stage to reach 200 trillion.

  • This calculation does not include gametes: eggs and sperm.

  • Due to telomeric shortening, humans have a "Hayflick limit" of about 52 cell divisions before cellular death.