Practical 2: ORGANIC COMPOSITIONS OF THE CELL

This summary presents the practical section focused on how to identify the three main organic
compositions of the cell: carbohydrates, proteins and lipids in one sample.

1. Carbohydrates
- Carbohydrates found in plant and animal cells.
- The empirical formula CnH2nOn or (CH2O)n.
- 3 types: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
- Glucose (carbohydrate) is the primary products of plant photosynthesis.
nH2O + nCO2 -> (CH2O)n + nO2
- While in animal, the excess produced glucose is stored in form of glycogen in liver and muscles.
- The most stable three-dimensional structure for starch and glycogen is a tightly coiled helix
stabilized by inter-chain hydrogen bonds.
DRAW
- However, this glycosidic bond is easily wrecked by heat, enzyme, acidic or basic treatment.

Task 1 – Microscopic Observation of Starch Granules:

Scratch the potato -> collect the scratching and place on the slide -> add a water drop on glass slide
-> cover with coverslip -> observe under microscope -> add 1 drop of Lugol solution -> observe the
phenomenon.

Task 2 – Chemical Detection of Starch:

Add 5ml of starch suspension into a test tube:

 Take out 1 drop of rice starch suspension + 1 drop of Lugol solution -> (mix) observe the color
change
 (Add 5 drops of HCl into the test tube, mix well) Take out 1 drop of starch-HCl mixture + 1 drop
of Lugol solution -> (mix) observe the color change
 (submerged in hot water and boil the mixture) every 2 minutes, take out 1 drop of mixture + 1
drop of Lugol solution -> (mix) observe the color change
 Continue to boil and test with lugol solution until no color change is detected
 Mark the time that the color does not change

2.Proteins
- Proteins are complex polymers composed of amino acids.
- Amino acids contain C, H, N.
- There are 20 kind of amino acids.
- Amino acids are linked together by peptide bonds in which the carboxyl carbon of one amino
acid forms a covalent bond with the amino nitrogen of the other amino acid.
draw
 Short chains of amino acid are called peptides
 longer chains of amino acids are called polypeptides
Task 3 – Biuret test for Proteins ( experiment on Protein suspensions of egg white and fresh cow
milk)

Show the presence of peptide bonds which are the basic for the formation of proteins

Add 2ml of protein suspension into a test tube -> add 10 drops of 10% naoh solution -> mix well ->
add 3 drops of 0.5% cuso4 solution -> observe the color change.

3. Lipids
- Are a diverse group of hydrophobic molecules
- Not consist of polymers
- Three common types: fats, phospholipids and steroids
- The main biological functions: storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of
cell membranes

Task 4 - Detect and observe the lipid in plant cells using red Soudan III solution on peanut

scratch the peanut -> place it on glass slide -> add a drop of Soudan III solution -> stain for 10 mins
-> wash the slide with 20% Ethanol -> add a drop of water -> put the coverslip on -> observe
specimen by microscope

Overall, this practical session Helped students to identify the main organic compositions of the cell