Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!usc!bbn!bbn.com!djoslin
From: djoslin@bbn.com (David Joslin)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: cell regeneration
Message-ID: <49083@bbn.COM>
Date: 3 Dec 89 22:30:18 GMT
Sender: news@bbn.COM
Reply-To: djoslin@BBN.COM (David Joslin)
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Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
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A philosophy paper that I was reading yesterday makes this statement:
"With the exception of some brain cells, the cells in our bodies are
replaced with new cells several times in our lives."  Unfortunately no
reference is given.

I've heard a stronger version of this that says that over a period of
ten (?) years of so, the normal process of cell repair causes every atom
in our bodies to be replaced. I don't have the foggiest idea where I read
it, though, and I haven't been able to find it anywhere.

Are either or both of these statements true?  I'm writing a paper for 
a philosophy of mind class, and it would help me greatly if I could
find a reliable reference to either, especially the latter.

David
djoslin@bbn.com
POBox 1592, Cambridge MA 02238