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CELLS-MICROSCOPE

This lab document outlines the goals and procedures for observing and identifying the structures of plant and animal cells using a microscope. It highlights the similarities and differences between these cells, including the presence of unique organelles in plant cells like chloroplasts and cell walls. The document also includes instructions for staining cells with methylene blue to enhance visibility under the microscope.

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1 views

CELLS-MICROSCOPE

This lab document outlines the goals and procedures for observing and identifying the structures of plant and animal cells using a microscope. It highlights the similarities and differences between these cells, including the presence of unique organelles in plant cells like chloroplasts and cell walls. The document also includes instructions for staining cells with methylene blue to enhance visibility under the microscope.

Uploaded by

174167wp
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Page 1 of 4

LAB 2: CELLS
MICROSCOPE

Goals up of trillions of cells. Every cell has some


commonalities, including a cell membrane
1. Identify the basic structures of a cell that acts like the skin of the cell, working
2. Observe the differences between plant to protect it. Plant and animal cells
cells and animal cells have even more structures in common,
including a membrane bound nucleus
Materials and Equipment that is the control center of the cell. It is
this membrane bound nucleus that sets
Coverslips eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells.
Methylene blue Eukaryotic cells are the cells of more
Microscope slides, blank complex organisms such as fungi, plants,
Toothpick and animals.
Prokaryotic cells are found in
Materials Not Included simpler organisms like bacteria and are
often unicellular.
Elodea or Anacharis (can be found at a pet
store in the aquatic department.)
Life Science textbook or internet access
Microscope
Sheet of paper
Water

Introduction
There are many similarities in the Plant and animal cells also contain
structure of cells, as cells are the basic several membrane bound organelles.
building blocks of all living organisms. Organelles are specialized structures that
Every living organism is comprised of at carry out specific functions in the cell.
least one cell, with humans being made Among these are the vacuoles (that act like
storage units for the cell), mitochondria
(which produce energy for the cell),
ribosomes (that manufacture proteins), the
endoplasmic reticulum (which is involved
in protein synthesis and vesicle transport),
and the Golgi body, (which serves to
modify, sort, and package proteins that are
secreted by the cell). Plant cells have two
additional structures that are not found in
animal cells: the cell wall and chloroplasts.
The cell wall gives the plant cell strength
and structure and is found just outside
of the cell membrane. The chloroplasts
Page 2 of 4

5. On a new slide, place a drop of


are where the important process of methylene blue.
photosynthesis takes place. All of these
organelles are contained in the cytoplasm
of the cell, which is a thick liquid filling the 6. With the blunt end of a toothpick, gently
inside of the cell. scrape the inside of your cheek then
When viewing cells under a immediately rub the same end into the
microscope, it is sometimes necessary to methylene blue on the slide.
stain the cell in order to see the structures.
The stain reacts with different substances in 7. Cover with a coverslip and view under
the cell, causing them to take on the color the microscope at low power, then
of the stain and be more visible. The type medium, and high. If the cells are too
of stain used is dependent on the type of dark to observe, wrap the slide in a
structure being viewed. Methylene blue is a paper towel and gently apply pressure to
common stain that reacts with the nucleus absorb some of the stain.
of the cell to make it visible.

Procedure 8. Draw one or two cheek cells and label the


cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus.
1. Place one Elodea leaf upside down in a
drop of distilled water on a microscope
slide. Cover with a coverslip.
Complete steps 1-4 with the virtual video demonstration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UWbGZMO4o_U&ab_channel=BeyondtheBeanSeed
2. Observe the leaf cells with your
microscope under low power, increasing
to medium and then high power.

3. Focus in on a cell layer that gives you


the best view of single cells and draw
what you observe. Label the cell wall,
cell membrane, chloroplasts, and
cytoplasm. Look in your textbook or on
the internet if you need help identifying
those structures. The cell membrane
will not be distinguishable from the cell
wall, but make sure you know where it is
located. You may not be able to observe
the nucleus.

4. Try to observe the large central vacuole


in the cell by focusing up and down. It is
a large, fluid filled sac in the center of the
cell, and surrounded by the chloroplasts at
the edges. As you focus up and down and
find a view with chloroplasts only along
the outside of the cell, you may be able to
distinguish the vacuole in the center.
Page 3 of 4

LAB 2
Questions for Cells

1. Use the circles below for your drawings.


Elodea Cell (Plant Cell) Cheek Cell (Animal Cell)

Clearly label the cell wall, Clearly label the cell membrane, nucleus,
cell membrane, chloroplasts, and cytoplasm. and cytoplasm.

2. How are the plant cells you observed different from your cheek cells?
List at least three distinct differences.

3. Animal cells are usually smaller than plant cells. Is this true of the cells you observed?

Copyright © 2012 Quality Science Labs, LLC 9


Page 6 of 7

4. What colors were the structures you observed in each of the cells and why?

5. What structures did you see in the plant cell that were not in your cheek cells?

6. Draw a Venn diagram to compare and contract the characteris cs of plant vs animal cell.
List at least 5 similiari es and 3 di erences.

7. Explain why both animal and plant cells are considered eukaryo c cells, not prokaryo c cells.

Use your lab observa ons, Unit 2 classroom readings or presenta ons, and your research to back up your
claim.
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