Human Cheek Cell

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Laboratory Report 2
Human Cheek Cell
Directions: Read the instructions on this lab report and listen to the lab instructor first before
you proceed. Prepare a temporary mount of human cheek cells and draw and label the visible
parts only.
Write your lab report with the following contents:
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Set-up
3. Procedure
3. Presentation of results
4. Interpretation and analysis
5. Conclusion
6. References
Introduction
Cells are the smallest units of life, capable of performing all the essential functions
needed to sustain it, such as energy production, waste removal, and reproduction. They are like
puzzle pieces or Lego bricks that are not that significant to the naked eye but, when combined,
form every living organism. This is why biologists refer to them as the basic building blocks of all
living organisms (Earnshaw, W. et al., 2022). There are 2 types of cells; Prokaryotic cells and
Eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are simpler and lack a nucleus. Their genetic material (DNA) is
free-floating within the cell. On the other hand, Eukaryotic cells are more complex and have a
nucleus that houses their DNA (Tarantino, C., 2022).
This experiment was all about studying human cells and their structure. By obtaining
human cheek cells, studying the structure of eukaryotic cells was made possible by empirically
observing them under a microscope. Studying cell structures can help scientists in the medical
field formulate drugs, disease diagnosis and treatment, biotechnology, and genetic engineering.
Materials:
● Glass microscope slides

● Plastic coverslips
● Paper towels or tissue
● Methylene Blue solution (0.5% to 1%)
● 2 Plastic pipette or dropper
● Sterile toothpick
● Blotting paper
● Distilled water
● Needle
● Tweezer/Forceps
● Glycerine
● Compound microscope
Procedure:
1. Take a clean toothpick and gently scrape the inside of your mouth.
2. Place the cells on a glass slide that has a drop of water on it.
3. Mix the water and the cheek cells using a needle and spread them.
4. Take a drop of Methylene blue solution using a dropper and add this to the mixture on
the slide. Concentrated methylene blue is toxic if ingested.
5. After 2-3 minutes remove any excess water and stain from the slide using a blotting
paper.
6. Take a drop of glycerin using a dropper and add this to the test mixture.
7. Take a clean cover slip and lower it carefully on the mixture with the aid of a needle and
tweezer making sure that you place it with one end first and gently lowering it down
from one end to the other.
8. Using a needle, press the cover slip gently to spread the epithelial cells.
9. Remove any excess solution by allowing a paper towel/blotting paper to touch one
side of the coverslip.
10. Place the slide on the microscope, with 4 x or 10 x objective in position and find a cell.
Then view at higher magnification.
* Note - Used cotton swabs/toothpicks and cotton towel/blotting paper should be safely
discarded in the trash and not left lying on the working table.
-Methylene blue may stain clothes and skin. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. This dye is
toxic when ingested and it causes irritation when in contact with the skin and eyes.
Presentation:
Pictures with captions
Interpretation and Analysis
The scientists empirically observed how the structure of the human cheek cells was
visible through the use of methylene blue and the microscope. During low-power objective
observation, the scientists saw structures with varying gradients of blue. During the
medium-power objective observation, the scientists saw light blue with dark spots. On the
other hand, observations were quite peculiar in high-power objectives. There are trapezoidal
light blue structures with white surroundings.
The scientists hypothesized that the different shades of color blue represent organelles
of the cells. To elaborate, the dark blue spot may represent the nucleus of the human cheek
cells while light blue represents the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the cheek cells have no definite
shape, which could be a result of cheek cells having no cell walls, unlike other cells like plant
cells. By observing more from a high-power objective, the trapezoidal structure seen in the
microscope could be cytoplasmic granules that store nutrients and energy for the cells.
By digging deeper, the scientist came up with the idea that the dark spots are the
nucleus since it can be seen as a single structure within the cheek cells observed. To make
sense, the darkest shade of blue in every cell observed can only mean one thing, it must be an
important structure that can represent the nucleus of a cell.
Conclusion
This experiment successfully demonstrated the structure of human cheek cells,

highlighting the roles of the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. The use of methylene blue
allowed for clearer visualization of cell components, particularly the nucleus, which appeared as
the darkest blue structure in each cell. The absence of a cell wall in cheek cells was confirmed,
further distinguishing them from plant cells, which have a rigid cell wall. Observing the cheek
cells at various magnifications provided deeper insight into their structural characteristics,
ultimately enhancing the understanding of basic cellular biology.
Earnshaw, W. et al. (2022). Cell Biology E-Book. Google

Books.https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=mXiiEAAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&ots=8O1UzN_yVr&dq=
what%20are%20cells%20in%20biology&lr&pg=PA2#v=onepage&q=what%20are%20cells%20in
%20biology&f=false
Sanober Kafeel. (2020). Isolation of DNA from Saliva and Cheek Cells Using Household
Chemicals. Journal of Life Sciences, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.17265/1934-7391/2020.01.004
Tarantino, C. (2022). Eukaryotic Cell: What Is It, Difference from Prokaryotic Cells, and More |
Osmosis. https://www.osmosis.org/answers/eukaryotic-cell
Questions to answer:
1. Why do we stain the cells and why is Methylene blue necessary? - We stain cells to make
their structures more visible under the microscope. Methylene blue binds to cell structures like
the nucleus, making them stand out and easier to observe.
2. What type of tissue are cheek cells? - Cheek cells are epithelial tissue, specifically squamous
epithelial cells, which form the lining of the mouth.
3. What parts of the cell were visible? - Nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane. The nucleus
appears as a darkly stained area, while the cytoplasm and cell membrane appear lighter.
4. Why do we use glycerin in the preparation of the cheek cell? - Glycerin helps to preserve the
cells by preventing them from drying out and provides a clearer view under the microscope by
reducing light reflection.
5. You should have observed deeply stained small blue dots on the surface of the cell. What are
they? - The small blue dots on the surface of the cell are the nuclei of the cells, which contain
the cell’s genetic material.
Describe or define each of the following
● cell membrane
● cytoplasm
● nucleus
● organelle
Sketch the cell at low and high power. Label the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane.
Low Power Objective (LPO 10x) High Power Objective (HPO 40x)

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Name: Date:

2. Materials and Set-up

4. Interpretation and analysis

● Glass microscope slides

Pictures with captions

Interpretation and Analysis

This experiment successfully demonstrated the structure of human cheek cells,

Earnshaw, W. et al. (2022). Cell Biology E-Book. Google

Describe or define each of the following

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