Activity no.

TITLE: THE PARAMECIUM (Adopted from Guerrero, J.J.G, The Animal-Like

Paramecium)

COURSE TITLE : Anatomy and Physiology

LAB INSTR/PROFESSOR : Prof. Ronaldo Bigsang

DATE PERFORMED : July 17, 2014

DATE SUBMITTED : August 7, 2014

GROUP NO. : 6

MEMBERS:
Tamama, Sitti Alyssa
Larida, Jane A.
Cadatuan, Rizalyn
Lumapat, Darlene
Abstract:

The paramecium is a unicellular organism that is motile, digest food and can reproduce.
Paramecium feeds in the holozole manner, like amoeba. The food consists of bacteria which float in
water which it lives. Paramecium are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Asexual
reproduction is the most common, and this is accomplished by the organism dividing transversely.
This paper presents results in several experiment done with the paramecium. Solutions are placed to
determine its digestion and cotton threads to test their movement. Paramecium’s response to light
and gravity were also test.

Introduction

The paramecium is a unicellular organism that is motile, digests food and can reproduce. They
belong to the Kingdom Protista under Phylum Ciliophara. These organism are known for their spiral
movement to avoid predators or solid objects. They can rotate up to 360 degrees to find an escape
route. Moreover, this movement are also used in pursuit of food.

The paramecium is an oval, slippers shaped micro-organism, rounded at the top and pointed
at the bottom. The membrane of the organism is called pellicle. It give its definite shape yet allows
small changes under certain conditions. Covering the pellicle are tiny hairs called cilia. These cilia
enables the organism to move. On the side beginning near the front end and continuing half way
down is the oral groove. The rear opening is called the anal pore. The contractile vacuole and the
radiating canals are also found on the outside of a paramecium.  Inside the paramecium is cytoplasm,
trichocysts, the gullet, food vacuoles, the macronucleus, and the micronucleus. 

The ciliates feeds on bacteria which makes them very useful in decomposition. It cannot see,
hear, eat or taste however, it has sensory movements which enable it to respond when it bumps into
something. Their cilia moves at a particular angle to find an escape route for their predators and to to
search for food.

In this activity, several tests were conducted to determine the responses of the Paramecium.
Solutions were placed to determine their digestion and cotton threads were placed to determine their
movement. Moreover, their responses to light and gravity was also observed in this activity

Materials and Methods:

For this experiment we used hay infusion to culture the paramecium, the following glass wares
we used to perform this activity are the cover slip, microscope, glass slide, beaker, hot plate,
stirring rod, test tube, test tube rack. Stopper or cork, toothpick, aluminium foil, flash light, methyl
cellulose (or cotton fibers), milk are used to test the following factors in paramecium. Methylene
blue, Methyl red, HCl, Acetic acid, NaOH, NaHCO 3, 3%NaCl and 5% sucrose are the chemicals
used in this activity.
 I. GROSS MORPOLOGY AND MOVEMENT

For gross morphology and movement of the paramecium put methyl cellulose at the center of
the slide in a circular shape and drop the hay infusion in the glass slide and cover it with cover
slip. Then set the microscope at LPO and locate the paramecium. Examine the shape and
waves of ciliary beating across its entire surface. Locate the following structure in our
specimen.

 Cilia cytoplasm(ectoplasm+ endoplasm)

 Pellicle contractile vacuole
 Myonema food vacuole
 Trichocyst macronucleus
 Oral groove micronucleus
After that a drop of methylene blue was added at the edge of the coverslip so the stain is
drawn by the capillary action. Then we observe the organelle which will became visible with
the aid of stain.
II. DIGESTION

To observe the digestion of the paramecium. In a beaker put 20mL of milk and boil for 8
minutes, stirring it constantly to avoid charring, let it cool. After, add a drop of methyl red and
allow it diffuse for a few minutes. In another slide a drop of hay infusion was place. Toothpick
was put into the methyl red-mixture and let it mix and feed gently with the infusion. Make sure
that you don’t feed the organism too much so that it will not be obscured. Then put the
coverslip in a place where you can observe immediately the actual feeding of the paramecium.
This experiment allows us to observe closely the area near the vicinity of the oral groove. Then
trace the food vacuole as it courses the cytoplasm. After 2-3 minutes you should begin to
notice some color changes as it is carried by streaming endoplasm (cyclosis). After that
observe the signs of waste egestion of the site of cytoproct or anal pore of the paramecium.

III. REACTION TO STIMULI

1. Thigmotaxis
In this experiment add a drop of paramecium culture on a slide and overlay it with a few
cotton fibers, cover it with a coverslip. Pay attention particularly to the Paramecium’s
reaction as it bumps into one of the fibers with its anterior and posterior ends. At the end of
this activity you will able to illustrate the movement of the organism as it bumps the thread.

2. Chemo taxis
In this activity dip a short thread into HCl solution and place it across the middle of a drop of
Paramecium culture on a slide, and add a coverslip. After that observe the reaction of the
organism. Do the same using acetic acid, sodium bicarbonate, NaOH, 3% NaCl, and 5%
sucrose and observe the response of the organism.

3. Geotaxis and Photo taxis

In this activity filled ¼ of 2 test tubes with paramecium culture and place the first test tube
upright in a rack under bright illumination. For test tube two, put a stopper and cover the
half of it with aluminium foil and let the bright light illuminate the bottom half of it. Observed
the test tubes for 15 minutes. Aggregates of paramecium should be seen with the naked
eye as a white cloud material.
Results and Discussion:

I. GROSS MORPHOLOGY AND MOVEMENT

Fig. 1. Gross morphology and anatomy of a Paramecium.

Fig. 2. Ciliary beating and movement of Paramecium.

 Paramecium moves forward, the cilia beat at a particular angle in the backward direction,
spiraling through the water around an invisible axis, in pursuit of food. Paramecium generally
thrusts itself forward, traveling in a straight line through the water. However, it is capable of
changing its direction, when it comes in contact with a solid object or a predator. In such a case,
the cilia immediately start beating in the opposite direction. This helps the paramecium to go
backward, and turn in a direction away from the predator. The spiral movement or the spinning
nature allows it to collect food, which is pushed by the cilia into the oral groove.

II. DIGESTION

expected
result

actual result
Fig. 3. Course of digestive process in the cytoplasm of a Paramecium.

Feed is ingested by a cell mouth or cytostome lying at the bottom of buccal cavity. The
constant lashing movement of cilia of oral groove drive a current of water with food particles
toward the vestibule. Ciliary tracts of vestibule direct the food particles into buccal cavity.
According to Mast (1947), many kinds of particles may be carried with water current into vestibule,
but only selected ones are passed on inside the buccal cavity. Rest of particles are rejected, that
is, discharged to outside.

III. REACTION TO STIMULI

1. Thigmotaxis
 Actual result

Fig. 4. Reaction of a Paramecium to touch or barrier.

When paramecium bumps to cotton fiber, it turns back and continue to move. When it comes
in contact with a solid object or a predator. In such a case, the cilia immediately start beating in
the opposite direction. This helps the paramecium to go backward, and turn in a direction away
from the predator. The spiral movement or the spinning nature allows it to collect food, which is
pushed by the cilia into the oral groove.

2. Chemotaxis

Stimulus Reaction of Paramecium

a. HCl No movement of paramecium seen.
b. Acetic Acid No paramecium is moving.
c. NaHCO3 Movement of paramecium is faster than the movement
observed in sucrose.
d. NaOH There’s no movement of paramecium is observed.
e. 3% NaCl No movement of paramecium is observed.
f. 5% sucrose Paramecium moved faster than its normal movement.

3. Geotaxis and Phototaxis

Stimulus Reaction of Paramecium
a. Light positive
b. Gravity positive

In the experiment, there was a white precipitate in the test tube which indicates the presence
of paramecium. The respond of the paramecium to light decrease their swimming velocity. Hence, the
paramecium only accumulated in the lighted region.

IV. GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. The term “spiral movement” has been used to describe the Paramecium’s swimming habits.
Why is this so?
The paramecium is covered with cilia which are arranged in definite longitudinal rows.
The cilia move in unison against the water. If the organism wants to move forward, the cilia
 beat at a particular angle in the backward direction to move forward. The spiraling nature of the
paramecium helps them in pursuit for food and to find an escape route for their predators.

2. Does the Paramecium swim in a straight line, circle or zigzag?

The paramecium travels through a straight line. However, it is also capable of changing
direction when it encounters solid objects or predators.

3. What do the changes in size and color of the food vacuole indicate about the digestive
process?
The color of the food vacuole of the paramecium depends on the color of the food
ingested into it. In the activity conducted, milk was ingested and the food vacuole turned white.
As the acidity of the vacuole increases, it turns into blue, increases in size and at the same
time the pH also decreases. Moreover, as the acidity decreases, the vacuole also increases in
size.

4. What is the difference between a chemotaxic and chemotactic response?

Chemotaxis refers to the movement of organisms or cells by means of chemical
stimulus while chemotactic refers to the movement ability of the organism due to factors such
as concentration gradient.

5. What is meant by geotaxis? Is the Paramecium positively or negatively geotaxic?

Geotaxis is the movement of a motile organism due to gravity, it maybe upwards or
downwards. Paramecium exhibits negative phototaxis for it swims in the upward direction.

6. What is phototaxis? Is the Paramecium positively or negatively phototaxic?

Phototaxis is the movement of an organism in response to light. Paramecium is
positively phototaxic because it moves towards the lighted region although their swimming
velocity decreases.