WORKSHEET # 2

THE PLANT CELL

I. The Parts of the Plant Cell

A. Non green epidermal cell of Allium cepa (onion):

a) Do you see rectangular boxes adjacent to each other? Yes, rectangular boxes that are
adjacent to each other can be seen in the image of the onion cell under the microscope.

b) Each "box" and its contents compose the cell. What part of the cell forms the "box"? The part
of the cell that forms the “box” is the Cell wall, the cellulose present in these cell walls form the
tiles.

c) Can you see an inner "envelope" surrounding the cell?

Yes, an inner envelope can be seen surrounding the cell, this is called the plasma membrane
which is an inner layer that serves as protection that is surrounded by the cell wall.

d) Can you find any communication lines between the boxes? Why or why not? Yes, there seems
to be communication lines between the boxes, these are cytoplasmic bridges or
plasmodesmata. They are cytoplasmic channels that are lined with plasma membrane and
occurs when plant cells divide and the division is incomplete that leaves small channels through
the cell wall and middle lamella.

e) Do you think Robert Hooke was correct in giving the name "cell" (meaning "small rooms") to
the specimen he saw in cork? Support your answer.

Yes, giving the name “cell” that means small rooms to what he saw in the cork’s specimen is
correct. This is because the structure of the sample had partitioned boxes or compartments that
depicted the cells in monasteries that monks inhabited. Robert Hooke’s observation can be
agreed on as cells are indeed alike in terms of rooms having a cell wall and membrane that
serves as windows and walls due to its protective and semi-permeable nature and these cells
contain things just like rooms which are the organelles that all perform a specific function.
f) What part of the cell becomes visible after the addition of the iodine solution stain?
After the sample was stained with the Iodine solution, the part of the cell that became
visible was the nucleus, that clearly highlighted the components of the cell.

g) What is the function of this part of the cell?

The nucleus is the control center of the cell, its main function is to regulate the different
activities inside the cell such as the intermediary metabolism, growth, protein synthesis, and
reproduction (cell division).

h) Look at the cell wall. What is responsible for the organized arrangement of the cells?
The one responsible for the organized arrangement of the cell is the cellulose, these are
the cell wall’s strong fibers of carbohydrate polymer that plays an important role in keeping the
plants’ cell walls stable. These cellulose chains are arranged in bundles of polysaccharide
bundles arranged in parallel arrays to form microfibrils which make up the plant cell wall.

i) What is the cementing substance between cells called? What is the chemical composition of
this substance?
The cementing substance between the cells is Pectin, a component of the primary plant
cell wall. It is present in the Middle lamella, where it serves as a cementing substance between
the adjacent cells. The middle lamella is mainly composed of pectin, calcium, magnesium, and
various types of polymers.

j) Do you think Robert Browne was right when he gave the name "nucleus" to the "nut-like" part
he saw inside the cell?
Yes, Robert Browne was right in giving the name nucleus to the “nut-like” part he saw
inside the cell, because when we observed the nucleus under the microscope it indeed shaped
like a nut, and the same as nuts that have a protective layer or coat, the nucleus also houses the
nucleolus.

Support your answer.

k) Do you see darker stained part/s inside the nucleus?

What is/are this/these?
Yes, we were able to observe the darker stained part inside of the nucleus thanks to the Iodine
solution. The dark part is the nucleolus, it is visible as a dark region due to the abundance of
ribosomal RNA and proteins assembling throughout most of the nucleolus.

B. Green cell of Hydrilla verticillata.

a) What are the green round bodies that you see?
The green round bodies that we saw were the chloroplasts of the hydrilla.

b) What are the functions of the green bodies?

Chloroplasts’ most important function is to synthesize food for the plant through the
process of photosynthesis, they absorb light energy and converts it into chemical energy. Thus
Chloroplasts are essential in the growth and survival of plants.

c) About how many are there?

There are a lot of chloroplasts present in the cells, mostly concentrated near the cell
walls which made it hard to count exactly how many but considering that it is a young leaf, it
may contain an average of 25 chloroplasts per cell while mature ones will have an average of 35
chloroplasts per cell.

d) Are these green bodies moving or stationary?

Chloroplasts are moving and it depends on their response to different intensities of light.
In order to have more efficient photosynthesis and avoid damage from extreme light.

e) If the green bodies are moving, what do you call this movement?
The movement of the chloroplasts is called the Cyclosis or Cytoplasmic streaming, it is a vital
process in plant cells which plays an important role in the exchange of molecules and proteins
across organelle membranes.

What is the direction of this movement (clockwise or counter-clockwise)?

Neither clockwise or counter-clockwise is considered as the direction of movement of cyclosis,
since it is dependent on light intensity, the movement will vary in terms of responses in moving
towards or away from light. Accumulation response, chloroplasts move towards weak lighted
areas to absorb more light allowing more efficient photosynthesis. Avoidance response,
chloroplasts will move away from strong direct-lighted areas to avoid excess light that can lead
to damage.

f) Is the nucleus visible among the green bodies? Why or why not?
No, because due to the abundance of the green bodies (chloroplasts), other cell structures were
covered and the sample was not stained thus not having a clearer image of highlighted cell
parts.

C. Colored bodies in a cell

1. Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato) cells:

a) Do you see orange or red round or oblong bodies in cells?

The color is not that vivid as the sample is not stained but the round or oblong
bodies in cells has a yellow-orange tint that can be seen.

b) What are they called?

They must be chromoplasts, the one responsible for the yellow, orange and red colors in
flowers and fruits, as it is mentioned that they have orange and red colors and the sample is
from a tomato pulp.

c) How would you compare the arrangement of these cells to the cells of the onion skin?
The arrangement of the cells from the tomato pulp are scattered and uneven to its
adjacent cells while the cells in the onion skin was more evenly distributed and formed a
pattern adjoining each other. There is also a very obvious difference in the shape of cells, onion
was rectangular-shaped while the tomato’s cells are round.

c) Aside from the tomato, what other plants contain these orange or red bodies?
Since Chromoplasts are responsible for the yellow, orange and red colors in flowers and
fruits, there are many other plants that contain them as well, such as in watermelon,
carrots, sweet potatoes, petals of sunflowers (beta-carotene), and many more plants that
have orange to red pigments have chromoplasts present in them.

d) What are the functions of these orange or red colored bodies?

Chromoplasts have a significant role in synthesizing and in storing carotenoid pigments in
flowers, fruits, in certain leaves, and roots. The vivid coloration of petals through
 chromoplasts is an evolutionary strategy of flowering plants to attract pollinators, thus
chromoplasts also help in pollination and dispersal of plant seeds.

2. Solanum tuberosum (Potato) scrapings:

a) POTATO LPO POTATO HPO POTATO LPO POTATO HPO

stained /w Iodine stained /w Iodine

What do you call the bodies stained by the iodine

solution?
After staining the sample with Iodine solution, we noticed that the cell bodies turned
purple, which happens when Iodine reacts with starch. Thus, the purple bodies stained by the
Iodine is called starch grains or amyloplasts that’s present in potatoes.

b) Are these bodies of the same sizes?

No, Amyloplasts are not of the same sizes as the size varies depending on the amount of
starch stored inside. Starch grains may also vary not only in size but also in shape based on the
type of plant or plant species.

c) What are the functions of these bodies?

The main functions of Amyloplasts is to store starch, the amyloplasts transform glucose
into starch by polymerization and store the starch grains in the stroma. Amyloplasts also detect
gravity, Gravitropism is a feature exhibited by many organisms, where the roots of the plants
grow towards the gravitational field whereas the stem grows away from the gravitational field.

D. The vacuole
Rheoe Discolor leaf cross section
a) What colored substance or pigment is found inside the
vacuole?
The colored substance or pigment found inside the vacuole is the Anthocyanin pigment present
in the cell sap of the vacuole. They provide blue-purple color to the plant and functions as an
antioxidant.
b) In what solvent is this pigment dissolved?
Since Anthocyanins have a polyphenolic structure, this means that they are hydrophobic and is
soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol.

c) What is the membrane of this structure called?

The membrane is called the Vacuole, it is a membrane-bound organelle. The membrane
surrounding the vacuole is the tonoplast.

d) What is the function of a vacuole?

Vacuoles provide structural support through turgor pressure, they function as storage
since it stores salts, minerals, nutrients, and proteins that helps in plant growth, vacuoles also
play a role in waste disposal and protection of plants since the central vacuole contains plant
waste that tastes bitter to insects and animals. Some vacuoles also contain pigments that give
certain flowers their color that also helps in pollination and reproduction.

Type of crystals in various specimens:

Specimen Drawing of Crystal Type of Crystal
1. X-section of Begonia stalk
Type of crystal: Prismatic crystal, Calcium oxalate

2. X-section of Rhoeo discolor leaf

Type of crystal: Prismatic crystal,
Calcium ocalate

3. X-section of Portulaca oleracea Stem –

The xylem elements are thick walled and angular
and possess dense calcium oxalate crystals.
Type of crystal: Druse crystal, calcium oxalate.

4. X-section of Sansevieria zeylanica Leaf

Type of crystal: Raphide crystals, sharp needle-shaped crystals of
calcium oxalate

5. X-section of Ficus sp. Leaf

Type of crystal: Cystolith crystal, Calcium Carbonate

Questions:
1. How are crystals formed?
 The crystals are formed by the idioblasts or crystal-forming cells inside the vacuoles. The
vacuole stores cell metabolites, waste products, and soluble proteins. In most cases, the crystals
are formed from environmentally derived calcium and from biologically synthesized oxalate. In
plants, calcium oxalate deposition is common

2. What is the chemical composition of crystals?

Oxalates are the most common constituents of plants. Crystals are composed by calcium
oxalate near midveins, whereas in the other parts of the leaf they are constituted by calcium
oxalate associated with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, Sulphur and chlorine.

3. What is the importance of crystal formation in plant cells?

Plant crystal formation

plays a lot of function,
including tissue calcium
control, herbivory
defense, and metal
detoxification. Ascorbic acid
appears to be the major
precursor to oxalate
production, according to
growing evidence
Plant crystal formation
plays a lot of function,
including tissue calcium
control, herbivory
defense, and metal
detoxification. Ascorbic acid
appears to be the major
precursor to oxalate
production, according to
growing evidence.
The formation of crystals plays a lot of function such as in tissue calcium control, plant defense
mechanism, and metal detoxification making them tolerant to heavy metals.

E. Fundamental cell types:

1. Parenchyma Cells
Specimens Parenchyma cells

1. Scrapings of Musa sp. (Banana) fruit

BANANA CELLS HPO

2. X- section of Diffenbachia sp. leaf midrib

3. X-section of Commelina benghalensis Stem.

2. Collenchyma Cells
Specimens Collenchyma cells

1. X-section of Coleus blumei young stem

2. X-section of Ipomea aquatica leaf stalk

3. X-section of Ixora sp. leaf midrib

3. Sclerenchyma Cells
Specimens Sclerenchyma cells

1. Mongo seed coat

2. Luffa fibers.

3. Wood fragments (macerated)

3. Coconut husk
Questions:
1. What organelles did you see in the specimens?
We were able to observe a lot of organelles from the specimens, it was most clearly seen
when the Iodine solution was added, some of the organelles were vacuoles, cytoplasms, cell
wall, cell membrane, crystals, plastids, and the different types of cells.

2. Differentiate a cell wall from a plasma membrane structurally and functionally.

The difference between the structures of the cell wall and the plasma membrane is that cell
walls are rigid and non-permeable outermost layer of the cell, it is composed of cellulose, while
plasma membrane are semi-permeable, it is a thin structure composed of phospholipid bilayers
with proteins. The difference in functionally is that the cell wall provides protection against
environmental factors making it non-permeable while plasma membrane’s primary function is
to protect the cell and separate it from its surroundings, it also regulates substances that can
pass through the cell.

3. In a living cell, could the nucleus occur in the vacuole?

Why or why not?

No, the nucleus cannot occur in the vacuole because its primary function is to store waste
products and aid in the pH or Acid maintenance of the cell. Which means if the nucleus that
contains the DNA material of the cell were to occur in the vacuole, then the waste products
found in the vacuole will contaminate or affect the nucleus, that could lead to mutations or
infections.

4. How do stains facilitate the study of cells?

Stains facilitate the study of cells by enhancing the image of the cell thus being able to see the
organelles or parts clearly because it is clearly highlighted or distinguishable compared to when
it was unstained. Making observations easier and more accurate.

5. What is the advantage of using fresh mounts in the examination of plant cells?
The advantage of this is to be able to accurately observe living cells, especially in monitoring
their movements, it also helps that these fresh mounts enhance the image quality making
organelles clearer the same as the use of stains.