Group #: ​7 Course and Section: ​BS Biology 1A Date:​ 6-24-19

Members: ​Billones, Rhea Lynne T. Instructor: ​Ms. La Vera U. Sombito

Despi, Vermilah Ann P.

Juesna, Ann Marie J​.

LABORATORY ACTIVITY #3

Structure of a Plant Cell

I. Introduction

Plant cells are the basic unit of life in organisms of the kingdom Plantae. They are eukaryotic
cells, which have a true nucleus along with specialized structures called organelles that carry out different
functions. Some of these organelles may be viewed using compound microscopes however, other
organelles might need an electron microscope in order to be seen. Plant cells have special organelles
called chloroplasts which create sugars via photosynthesis.

The plant cell is also comprised of many different parts. Each part of the cell has a specialized
function. These structures are called organelles. Specialized structures in plant cells include the cell wall
which makes the plant appear rigid, the cytoplasm where other organelles are embedded and the nucleus
where all the genetic information of the plant is located. Shapes and sizes of different plant cells may also
vary from each other but these parts are always present in most of them.

Objectives

a. To identify the basic parts of a plant cell

II. Materials and Methods

A compound microscope, glass slide, cover slip, and scalpel were the needed equipment for this
activity. The specimens observed were tomato, onion, hydrilla and squash trichomes (previous activity).
Pictures of each specimen viewed under LPO and HPO were taken as instruction for the results which
required illustrations.

1. The onion bulb was peeled off and a small and thin piece of its epidermal skin was cut using a
scalpel and scissors. The skin was placed on a slide and observed under low power and high
power objectives. After the preliminary viewing. It was then stained using Methylene blue and
left for about 30 seconds before washing off all the stain under running water. A cover slip was
put on top of the stained onion specimen. It was then viewed and observed under LPO and HPO.

2. A small piece of the tomato fruit was cut from the outer part. The thin skin was separated from
the flesh of the fruit and placed carefully on the center of a glass slide. It was then observed under
LPO and HPO. After viewing, it was stained with Methylene blue. The stain was removed by
 placing the slide under slow-running water. The stained tomato skin was covered using a cover
slip and then viewed under the LPO and HPO

3. A piece of hydrilla leaf was cut from the apical stem using a scalpel. It was carefully placed on
top of the slides without creasing any part. It was first viewed under the microscope. After that, it
was stained using Methylene blue. The remaining stain was removed from the specimen by
running water. A coverslip was then placed on the leaf. Lastly, it was viewed under the LPO and
HPO of the compound microscope.

4. The viewing of squash trichomes was done previously. The answers and pictures provided in this
activity were based on the recorded data from Laboratory activity 2.

III. Results and Discusion

In this experiment only the plant cells’ nucleus, cytoplasm and cell wall were visible under the
compound microscope. This however is enough to know the characteristic and primary structure of a
plant cell. Other plant organelles such can only be seen under electron microscope.

Onion skin cells were found that it have a fixed shape which closely resembles a rectangle. The
shape occurs due to the presence of the cell wall. This also allows the cells to be arranged next to each
other. Inside the cytoplasm there is a nucleus located at the edges of the onion skin cell.

Tomato skin cells appear to be thicker and larger than the onion cells. The cells in this specimen vary
in size and shape. They appear to have a slightly circular shape, but are very irregular. These cells have a
slightly orange tint to them when not stained. The nucleus was barely visible under the microscope. The
structure of the cell wall also appears to be strong enough to hold the pulp inside the fruit.

Hydrilla leaf surface is similar to the onion skin cell, the nuclei of the plant cells along with its green
chloroplasts was visible under the high power objective. The cells lined up into columns that all extend
from one end of the leaf to its tip and which narrow as the tip is approached. Some few dark cells appear
which seem to have sucked up more of the blue stain than most others.

IV. Conclusion

Therefore, we conclude that viewing different kinds of plant specimen under the microscope is a very
helpful way of knowing and understanding plant cell. Using stains such as methylene blue is also an
effective way of improving the cell image by showing the other cell organelles invisible with only light.
The viewing of various kinds of plant cells from a fruit to a leaf also broadens the knowledge that we
have regarding the structure and function of a cell. The plants though they share the same organelles, their
cells might still look different from each other. They may have varying shapes, colors and sizes of the cell
simply because they are not from the same plant part and that they are not of the same plant origin.

QUESTIONS
1. How do cells of the onion specimen appear under the microscope?
 The onion cells look somewhat similar to each other because they have a regular rigid shape and they
are neatly positioned alternately beside each other. Some of them were a little rectangular in shape.

2. Are the cell walls thick and are the nuclei visible in the onion epidermal cells?

The cell walls of the onion were thick enough to be distinguished among the many cells. The nucleus
as well can be seen in both LPO and HPO. Even when stained or unstained, the cell walls and nucleus
reflect a different color or a darker color compared to the over all of the cell which makes them more
obvious when viewed under microscope.

3. What shape do the epidermal cells of the tomatoes exhibit? What is the color of the
dominant pigment here?

Contrary to the earlier statements, the shape of tomato epidermal cells were a little irregular in shape
and size. They were angular but they are not elongated like that of other plant cells.

When unstained, golden-yellow was the dominant color of the cells. The other cell parts can be seen
in the same color but of different shade or intensity.

4. Did you notice the movement of the chloroplastids? Describe what you have observed?

In tomato and onion cells, we did not observe any movement of the chloroplastids and other
organelles. It was in viewing the hydrilla leaf that we saw many chloroplasts in the cytoplasm of the cells.
We observed that these tiny greenish circles were somewhat motile and they tend to move in a flowing
manner within the cells. Their movement was dependent on the intensity of light reflected on them.

5. What is the shape of the apical and marginal cells of the Hydrilla?

The cells of the hydrilla looked elongated under LPO while under HPO, they looked closely rectangular
in shape.

6. In plant trichomes, did you see a prominent nucleus? Is the trichome septate?

In viewing trichomes under the microscope, We haven’t seen any structure that looks like a
nucleus but we saw that the trichomes have 2-3 divisions within each one of them. And so, they are
septate.

7. What are the trichomes for?

Trichomes are the hairy or bristle-like outgrowth of plants which are present in the leaves, stems
and roots. They have a variety of functions depending on where they are located. In roots, they help
absorb water and minerals from the soil. When in leaves, they help reflect radiation, lower the plant
temperature and reduce water loss. They also serve as protection against insects.

References:

Plant Cell - Definition, Parts and Functions. (n.d.). Biology Dictionary.