Download Lab # : Plant and Animal Cell Structures Date

Lab #
: Plant and Animal Cell Structures
Date
Partner:
Background
Although animal and plant cells have many structures in common, they also have basic,
important differences. During this investigation, you will observe and compare several
animal and plant cell specimen. To emphasize certain features of the cell, special stains are
used.
Purpose
1. To observe and describe human cheek cells (animal cells).
2. To observe and describe several plant cell specimen & note their special features:
onion skin cells – nucleus; elodea plant cells – chloroplasts;
potato cells – leucoplasts (Store __________).
3. To describe the differences between animal and plant cells.
Hypothesis
If animal cells are observed using a compound light microscope, then the
following organelles will be easily visible:
_______________________________________________________
The shape of an animal cell will be _________________.
If plant cells are observed using a compound light microscope, then the
following organelles will be easily visible:
______________________________________________________
The shape of a plant cell will be ______________, due to the __________.
While there are many other organelles, they are too small to be seen with a
compound light microscope. It would require the use of an _____________
_____________ to view them.
Materials
microscope toothpick
slides
cover slips
Methylene Blue Stain pipettes
Iodine Stain
Plant Specimen: Elodea, Potato, Onion
Animal Specimen: human epithelial cells
Procedure/ Data/ Observation
Part I: ANIMAL CELLS
1. Make a wet mount slide of your cheek cells:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Place a drop of water in the center of a clean slide.
Carefully rub the inside of your cheek with a toothpick. (Do not use a lot of pressure!)
Swirl the toothpick in the drop of water on the slide.
Place a drop of methylene blue stain on specimen & carefully cover with the coverslip.
2. Locate & focus the specimen under low power, then switch to HIGH POWER.
3. Using colored pencils, sketch exactly what you see in the field of view.
Be sure there are several cells in the field of view.
(Show ALL the cells in the field, but only label the required parts once! Use correct proportions. Detail is important!)
Label one of each the following structures: (Do not label every cell!)
Nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane
Human Cheek Cells
Magnification = ______
Part II: PLANT CELLS
1. Obtain a small, young leaf from the top of the Elodea specimen.
2. Locate & focus the specimen under low power, then switch to HIGH POWER.
3. Using colored pencils, make a sketch of the plant cells. (The entire field should be filled!)
Label one of each of the following structures:
Nucleus, cytoplasm, cell wall, chloroplasts, central vacuole
Elodea Plant Cells
Magnification = _________
FOR POTATO & ONION SPECIMEN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Make a wet mount preparation of onion skin cells. Be sure the specimen is not too thick!
Place a drop if iodine stain over the specimen & place coverslip.
Locate & focus the specimen under low power, then switch to HIGH POWER.
Using colored pencils, make a sketch of the cells and label appropriate structures.
Repeat 1-4 for potato sample.
Label the following structures:
Cell wall, leucoplast
POTATO CELLS
Mag= _________
Label the following structures:
Cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm
ONION SKIN CELLS
Mag=_________
Analysis and Conclusion
1. List the organelles/parts that are easily visible in the animal cell using
a compound light microscope.
2. List the organelles/parts that are easily visible in the plant cell using a
compound light microscope.
Onion Cells 
Potato Cells 
Elodea Cells 
3. In the Elodea sample, the chloroplasts move around the cytoplasm.
What is the movement called? Which cellular part aids in this
movement?
4. Are the cells you viewed today prokaryotic or eukaryotic? How can
you tell?
Table 1: Summary of the Differences Between Plant and Animal Cells
ANIMAL CELLS
PLANT CELLS
Contain:
Contain:
Shape of Cells
Size/ Number of
vacuoles(s)
Organelles that differ
(Include organelles not visible using
the compound light microscope.)