Colegio Real / Royal School

Science lab manual

Activity 2
Plant Cell observation

When you look at cells

under a microscope, you
often can observe
cytoplasmic streaming, or
movement of cell content.
This effect occurs only on
living cells. In this lab, you
will investigate factors that
influence cytoplasmic
streaming.

Preparation of microscope slide:

Two types of slides are commonly used in biology classes: permanent slides and
temporary wet mounts that you make.
1. Wet mounts
Wet mounts are temporary slides that you prepare yourself. When doing a wet
mount follow the procedure outlined below:
 Place the specimen (mixed culture, tissue, etc.) on the center of a clean
slide.
 Add a drop of water or designated stain if required. (Note: liquid cultures
do not require adding water)
 Place one edge of the cover slip on the slide near the specimen (This is
done by holding the cover slide at a 45ºangle). Gently lower the cover slip
on top of the specimen. Try to avoid trapping air bubbles.
 Blot an excess fluid with lens paper before you place the slide on the stage
of the microscope.
 After you have made your observations the slide & cover slip should be
washed, dried & replaced in their appropriate locations.

2. Permanent slides
Permanent slides have been professionally prepared. They have often been
stained to show better contrast of structure. A permanent slide may be a whole
mount of the entire specimen or section of the material.
http://jpkc.ncmc.edu.cn/cb/experiment.htm

Objectives

➢ Identify the structures that you can see in plant cells.

➢ Investigate factors that influence the movement of cell contents.

Materials

Compound light microscope

Elodea spring
Forceps
Microscope slides and coverslips
Lamp, incandescent
Dropper
Bottle of Lugol’s iodine solution

Preparation

1. State the Problem. How do heat an iodine solution influence cytoplasmic

streaming?
2. Form a Hypothesis. Form a testable hypothesis that explain how heat and iodine
influence cytoplasmic streaming.

Procedure

1. Put on safety goggles, gloves, and a lab coat.

2. Caution: Handle glass slides and coverslips with care. Using forceps, remove a
small leaf near the top of an elodea sprig. Place the whole leaf in a drop of water
on a slide, and add a coverslip.
3. Observe the leaf under low power. Switch to high power.
4. Focus on a cell in which you can see the chloroplasts clearly. Draw this cell. Label
the cell parts that you can see.
5. If chloroplasts are not moving in any of the cells, briefly warm the slide under a
lamp. Look for movement again under high power.
6. Caution: Lugol’s solution is toxic and stains skin and clothing. Promptly wash
off spills. Make a wet mount of another leaf with Lugol’s iodine solution. Observe
the cells under low and high power.
7. Draw a stained elodea cell and label all visible parts.
8. Clean up your lab materials according to your teacher’s instructions. Wash your
hands before leaving the lab.
Analyze and Conclude

1. Inferring Relationships. What effect did warming the slide have on the movement of
cell contents? Why do you think this is so?
2. Inferring Conclusions. What can you conclude about the effect of Lugol’s iodine
solution on plant cells?

Holt Biology copyright 2008 by Holt, Rinehart and Winston.