UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES VISAYAS TACLOBAN

Tacloban City

Biology 14
Exercise 4. Plant Cell vs Animal Cell

Objectives:

1. To be able to produce an animal cell smear preparation from the inner cheek
lining OR shavings or mashed portions from a plant (e.g. tiny roots,
leaves, etc.)
2. To be able to examine such preparation and identify the different parts
of the cell under light microscopy.

Materials:

Light compound microscope

Plant Material (research first if the plant part you’ll be bringing can produce readily
observable cells using simple extraction such as pounding)
Blank slide
Cover slip
Toothpick
Methylene blue (stain)
Mortar and Pestle
Medicine Dropper

Methods:

1. With your seatmate, ready all needed materials by (i) reserving in the GenLab and (ii)
bringing what is not available from said office.
2. Focus the light microscope starting with scanner (i.e. 4x or 5x).
3. a. With a clean toothpick, gently scrub your inner cheek lining OR take a drop from
mashed plant solution (tap water).
b. Smear the tip of the toothpick on a clean slide. Dispose the toothpick properly.
c. Let dry for about a minute.
d. Apply no more than one (1) drop of methylene blue to stain the cell (s).
e. Put on the cover slip as illustrated below. (Avoid touching the stain.)
4. Examine under the scanner, the LPO and HPO. (Look for irregularly shaped structure
with one dark dot at its center; they may appear singly or in clusters.)
5. Draw the animal AND the plant cell(s) under these three magnifications (do not forget
to note down the total magnification for each).

Study Questions:

1. What organelle(s) was or were readily seen under the light microscope? Why?
2. What is the function of this organelle in the cell?
3. In what ways does these two cells differ from each other?

Cite references properly.