L15: ANIMAL CELLS vs PLANT CELLS

1. OBJECTIVES

- Identify the major components of cells.
- Differenciate between animal and plant cells,
- Measure dimensions of the entire cell and the nucleous.

2. MATERIALS

- Toothpick
- 2 Slides
- 2 Covers slips
- Distilled water
- Methylene blue
- Iodine
- Onion
- Glycerine
- Two whatch glasses
- Dropper
- Needle

3. PROCEDURE

- PLANT CELLS OBSERVATION:

1. Pour some distilled water into watch glass.
2. Peel off the leaf from half a piece of onion and using forceps, pull out a piece of transparent onion peel (epidermis) from the leaf.
3. Put the epidermis in the watch glass containing distilled water.
4. Take a few drops of iodine solution ( or safranin) in a dropper and transfer into another watch glass.
5. Using a brush ( or a needle), transfer the peel into the watch glass containing the dye, Let this remain in the safranin solution (or iodine) for 30 seconds, so that the peel is stained.
6. Take the peel from the iodine solution and place it in the watch glass containing distilled water.
7. Take a few drops of glycerine in a dropper and pour 2-3 drops at the center of a dry glass slide.
8. Using the brush, place the peel onto the slide containing glycerine.
9. Take a cover slip and place it gently on the peel with the aid of a needle.
10. Remove the extra glycerine using cellulose paper.
11. View it in microscope.

- CHEEK CELLS OBSERVATION:

1. Gently scrape the inner side of the cheek using a toothpick, wich will collect some cheek cells.
2. Place the cells on a glass slide that has water on it.
3. Mix the water and the cheek cells using a needle and spread them.
4. Dry the sample under the light to fix the sample on the slide,
5. Take a few drops of methylene blue solution using a dropper and add this to the mixture on the slide,
6. After 2-3 minutes remove any excess water and satin from the slide using cellulose paper.
7. Take a clean cover slip and lower it carefully on the mixture with the aid of a needle.
8. Using the top of the needle, press the cover slip gently to spread the epithetial cells,
9. Remove any extra liquid around the cover slip using cellulose paper.

4. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

PLANT CELLS:

MRcell: 6,9/400= 0,017cm
0,17x10000= 172,5microns

MRnucleous; 400=0,7x10000/X
X=7000/400=17,5 microns


CHEEK CELLS:
400= 1,5x10000microns/X
X=1,5x10000microns/400=37,5

400=0,3x10000microns/X
X= 0,3x10000microns/400=7,5microns