III.

Animal Cells

1.Gently scrape the inside surface of your cheek for epithelial cells, using the flat end of a
clean toothpick.
2. With aid of the toothpick, spread the scraped material onto a drop of water on a clean slide
3. Stain with a drop of iodine and cover with a coverslip. Caution: Use care when using iodine
solution and methylene blue, as they can stain hands and clothing.
4. Examine the slide under HPO. Focus on a group of animal cells. Locate the following
structures:
a. cell membrane – very thin membrane surrounding the cell.
b. nucleus – large, dense, dark, round body inside the cell.
c. cytoplasm – the space within the cell membrane but external to the other
organelles.
d. sketch the cell at low and high power. Label the nucleus, cytoplasm and cell
membrane.

IV. Prokaryotic Cells

1. Gently scrape some material from your teeth at the gum line, using the flat end of clean
toothpick. CAUTION: Do not use force when scraping the inside of your cheek. Only a few
cells are needed.

2. With the aid of the toothpick, spread the scraped material onto a drop of water on a clean
slide. Do this several times, adding additional materials to the slide.

3. Air-dry the smear.

4. Stain with a thin layer of tincture of merthiolate or with methylene blue onto
the smear.

5. Let the stained smear dry, then put a cover slip. Caution: Use care when using Iodine solution
and (methylene blue) as they can stain hands and clothing.

6. Examine the slide under the HPO. Focus first on any of the large cells you can see. These are
probably epithelial cells from your gums. The merthiolate stains their nuclei pink or brown. The
methylene blue naturally stains them blue.

7. The prokaryotic bacterial cells should be visible around and on the epithelial cells. They will
appear as pinpoints of light surrounded by pink or blue, depending on the stain. Locate the
following structures:
a. cell membrane – very thin membrane sounding the cell
b. cell wall – a thick layer surrounding the cell
c. cytoplasm – the space within the cell membrane, but external to the other

8. Sketch the cell at low and high power. Label the parts.
 Figure 13: Plant cells under HPO (400x)
Source: http://ivanhoegirls.org/year7science/cells/internet-resources/onionepidermis/
http://www.doctortee.com/dsu/tifitickjian/bio100/photosunthesis.html

The cell you have observed show the diversity of cells in terms of shape and inclusions. Each
organelle present in these cells makes life possible.

Guide Questions for Observations:

1. What is the shape of the cheek cell?

• The cheek cell is irregularly shaped and flat.

2. What is the general location of the nucleus in a cheek cell?

• In a cheek cell, the nucleus is typically located near the center of the cell.

3. How are plant and animal cell similar in structure?

• Plant and animal cells share several similarities in their basic structure. Some key similarities
are the Golgi Apparatus, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Robosomes, Mitochondria, Lysosomes,
Vacuole, & the Nucleus or in short GERM-LVN.

4. How are plant and animal cells different in structure?

• Plant and animal cells have several key differences in their structures. Here are some notable
differences:
Cell wall – plant cells have a rigid cell wall composed of cellulose outside the cell membrane.
This wall provides structural support and protection for the cell. Animal cells lack a cell wall.
Chloroplast – plant cells have chloroplast, which are responsible for photosynthesis. Chloroplast
contain a pigment called chlorophyll. Animal cells do not have a cell wall.
Vacuole – plant cells typically have a large central vacuole that occupies a significant portion of
the cell's volume. This vacuole stores water, nutrients and waste products. Animal cells may have
smaller vacuoles.

Shape – plant cells are rectangular or cubed shaped while animal cells tend to have round or
irregular shapes.

Lysosomes – Animal cells contain lysosomes, which are membrane-bound organelles involved in
digestion and waste removal. Plant cells have lower lysosomes or lack them altogether.

Centrioles – Animal cells possess centrioles, which are involved in cell division. Plant cells do
not have centrioles.

5. Why are stains such as iodine solution used when observing cells under the microscope?

• Stains such as iodine solution are used when observing cells under the microscope to enhance
the contrast and visibility of the cells and their structures. Without staining, many cells and their
structures are transparent and difficult to see under the microscope. By using stains, scientists
and researchers can better observe and study the structure and function of cells and their
components.

Questions for Critical Thinking and Application

1. What is an advantage of using a wet mount preparation instead of dry mount preparation in the
study of living cells?

• One advantage of using a wet mount preparation instead of a dry mount preparation in the
study of living cells is that it allows for the observation of cells in their natural, hydrated state.
Wet mounts involve placing a specimen in a liquid medium (such as water or a specialized
mounting solution) and covering it with a coverslip. This method maintains the moisture and
integrity of the cells, providing a more accurate representation of their structure and function.
In contrast, dry mounts involve placing a specimen directly on a slide without any liquid
medium. While dry mounts are useful for studying non-living specimens or certain types of cells
(such as pollen grains), they can cause cells to shrink, distort, or become damaged due to
dehydration. This can lead to inaccurate observations and hinder the understanding of cellular
characteristics and processes. By using a wet mount preparation, researchers and students can
observe living cells in their natural environment, allowing for the study of dynamic processes
such as cell division, movement, and interaction with their surroundings. This method provides a
more realistic representation of cellular behavior and facilitates a better understanding of cellular
structures and functions.

2.Explain why you could not use a mango leaf in this investigation?

• You could not use a mango leaf in this investigation because it is too thick, which may obstruct
the light path and prevent individual cells from being observed. Mango leaves are multi-cellular
plant organs composed of several types of tissues. Their use in investigation simply to inspect
cells is not suitable because of their thickness, which may obstruct the light, so individual cells
may not be easily observed.

3. Why is it possible to easily collect cells by gently scraping the inside of your teeth?

4. In general, the surface of a tree has a harder “feel” than does the surface of a dog. What cell
characteristics of each organism can be used to explain this difference?

• The surface of a tree has a harder "feel" than the surface of a dog due to the structure of the
cell. Tree surfaces (bark) consist of thicker and tougher cells than lies on a surface of a dog
which is more flexible and soft.

5. If you were given a slide containing living cells of unknown organism, how would you
identify the cells as either plant or animal?

• If given a slide containing living cells of an unknown organism, one would identify the cells as
either plant or animal by looking at certain structures. If the cells have cell walls, plastids or a
large central vacuole, they are plant cells. Absence of these features would suggest the cells are
animal.