SAMPLE LABORATORY SHEET

Introduction

All organisms are composed of cells. Cells are the smallest structures that are living;
they are the unit of life. Two very different kinds of cells exist in nature. Prokaryotes are
the simplest kind of organisms (example: bacteria). Their cells lack many of the
structures (organelles) typically found in more complex cells. All other organisms
contain cells that are considerably more complex. These organisms include all of the
plants, animals, fungi, and protists.

We will look at prokaryotic cells in this exercise but we will examine details of the
structure of eukaryotic cells.

The plasma membrane is vitally important in regulating the passage of materials into
and out of the cell. We will see that small cells have a large surface to volume ratio,
thus, more plasma membrane to service it's contents.

The plasma membrane is differentially permeable, that is, some molecules such as
water can pass through but others cannot. We will study some characteristics that
result from this property.

Examination of Prokaryotic Cells

The exercises below require the use of a microscope

Examine a slide of bacterial types under high power (400 X). The slide contains
spherical cells (cocci), rod-shaped cells (bacilli), and spiral shaped cells (spirilla). Draw
several cells. The rod-shaped bacteria on the slide are attached end-to-end forming
threadlike filaments. If you look carefully, you can seed the individual cells that
compose the filament. Write the magnification used next to your diagram. Note the size
of these cells compared to eukaryotic cells.

1. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes and may be connected in chains

or filaments. Examine a slide of Cyanobacteria such as Anabaena under high
power (400X). Draw representative Cyanobacteria in your notebook.

Examination of Eukaryotic Cells

We will examine an organism called amoeba as an example of a eukaryotic cell.

1. Prepare a slide of live Amoeba. Use a dropper to obtain a sample from the
 bottom of the culture jar. There may be a wheat seed on the bottom of the jar.
Try to obtain a drop from the bottom near the seed. If live Amoeba are not
available, observe a prepared slide of Amoeba.
2. Identify the pseudopodia. If you are also viewing a prepared slide that has been
stained, you should also be able to see the nucleus. Note that the cell is much
larger than the prokaryotic cells (above) and is filled with numerous organelles.
The functions of some of these organelles will be discussed later.
3. Draw an Amoeba in your notebook and indicate the magnification used.

Observation of a Living Plant Cell

1. Prepare a wet mount of an Elodea leaf. View the cell under low and high power.
Use the fine focus to focus up and down on a cell. Cells above and below your
cell may interfere with your viewing. Identify the cell wall, and chloroplasts. If
your specimen is fresh, you should be able to see the chloroplasts moving within
the cell.

2. Notice that there are few chloroplasts in the center of the cell. This space is
occupied by the central vacuole.
3. Draw an Elodea cell and state the magnification used.

Animal Cells
1. If you have not observed human cheek cells in a previous laboratory exercise
prepare a wet mount by using the following procedure.

Scrape the inside of your cheek with a toothpick and rub it on a dry slide.

Add one drop of methylene blue to stain the cells. This will make them easier to
see.

Place a cover slip on the slide as described above and observe the cells under
low power then high power.

2. Identify the nucleus.

3. How do these animal cells differ from the Elodea (plant) cells? See your drawings
of typical plant and animal cells to help with the answer to this question. 4. Draw a
cheek cell.