Download Name: ANIMAL Cell Form and Function Problem: How does the form

Name: _______________________________________
ANIMAL Cell Form and Function
Problem: How does the form of certain animal cells fit the function of those cells in the multicellular organism?
Procedure: In this lab, you will view cells from your cheek and cells from your nervous system. This will allow you to compare and
contrast the forms of these cells and understand how those forms fit well the each cell’s function in your body
Cheek Cells: To prepare this slide, a small stick was used to gently scrape the inside of a human cheek and swirl it in a drop of
methylene blue to stain the cells (otherwise they will be clear and difficult to see). You are looking for light colored, irregularly shaped
ovals with dark spots, looking quite like fish scales. Additionally, sometimes the cheek cells can be “piled up” on the slide. Sketch the
cheek cells under low and high power. Make sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE - that is, the size of your drawing should reflect
the size that you view them in the microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines are air bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the NUCLEUS
on your drawing.
2. Identify the CELL MEMBRANE
on your drawing.
3. Identify the CYTOPLASM (area)
on your drawing.
Level 1: What do you notice about the form (structure) of these cheek cells?
Level 2: How does the form of a cheek cell fit the function of a cheek cell?
Nerve Cells: To prepare this slide, a smear of spinal fluid is wiped on a slide and stained (otherwise they will be clear and difficult to
see). You are looking for large, irregularly shaped blobs. These blobs are scattered around the slide and are each a nerve cell. Choose
a specimen that has a clear nucleus and nucleolus. Sketch the nerve cells under low power and a single cell under high power. Make
sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE - that is, the size of your drawing should reflect the size that you view them in the
microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines are air bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the NUCLEUS
on your drawing.
2. Identify the NUCLEOLUS
on your drawing.
3. Identify the CELL MEMBRANE
on your drawing.
4. Identify the CYTOPLASM (area)
on your drawing.
Level 1: What do you notice about the form (structure) of these nerve cells?
Level 2: How does the form of a nerve cell differ from the form of a cheek cell?
Level 3: Why are the differences in form justified when you consider the function of an animal’s skin and an animal’s nervous system?
Name: _______________________________________
PLANT Cell Form and Function
Problem: How does the form of certain plant cells fit the function of those cells in the multicellular organism?
Procedure: In this lab, you will view onion bulb cells from the root of an onion and cells from the leaf of an elodea plant. This will allow
you to compare and contrast the forms of these cells and understand how those forms fit well the each cell’s function in a plant.
Onion Bulb Cell: Peel away the single skin of an onion layer. Lay the thin layer of skin on your slide. Apply one drop of Iodine stain to
the slide. Cover the sample with a cover slip. You are looking for what appears to be a sheet of fish scales, fitting together tightly. This
is a sheet of onion bulb cells. Sketch the onion bulb cells under low and high power. Make sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE that is, the size of your drawing should reflect the size that you view them in the microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines
are air bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the CELL WALL
on your drawing.
2. Identify the NUCLEUS
on your drawing.
3. Identify the CELL MEMBRANE
on your drawing.
4. Identify the CYTOPLASM (area)
on your drawing.
Level 1: What do you notice about the form (structure) of these onion bulb cells?
Level 2: How does the form of an onion bulb cell fit the function of a root cell?
Elodea Leaf Cell: Elodea plants are water plants that often live in ponds, lakes, and aquariums. The leaves of this plant are thin
enough to allow light to pass through. You are looking for what appears to be a brick wall fitting together tightly. Each tiny brick is a
single leaf cell. Sketch the elodea leaf cells under low and high power. Make sure you are drawing your cells to SCALE - that is, the
size of your drawing should reflect the size that you view them in the microscope. *** Perfect circles with black outlines are air
bubbles. Don't sketch those.
Low Power
High Power
1. Identify the CELL WALL
on your drawing.
2. Identify the CHLOROPLAST
on your drawing.
Level 1: What do you notice about the form (structure) of the elodea leaf cells?
Level 2: How does the form of the leaf cells differ from the form of the root cells?
Level 3: Why are the differences in form justified when you consider the function of a plant’s roots and a plant’s leaves?