Bukidnon National High School

Biology 1
Laboratory Activity: Microscopic Observation of Plant and Animal Cells

Group Name: Group Number: 5 Grade and Section: 12 - Einstein Date: July 11, 2025
Members: Gabriel Reign V. Agustin Ralf Josef B. Villon Chanelle Audrey H. Bacasmot
Leah Jaze T. Bernabe Shanne Lee Lastrella Suansing

I. Introduction
Cells are the basic structural and functional units of life. In this activity, students will examine animal and plant
cells under a microscope to identify their parts and compare structural differences. Through staining, key
organelles such as the nucleus and cytoplasm will be made visible, highlighting the differences between eukaryotic
plant and animal cells.

Objective:
1. To examine the parts of a cell using a microscope.
2. To differentiate plant cells from animal cells based on observed features

II. Methodology
Materials:
Compound microscope, Microscope slides and coverslips, Clean toothpick, Tap water, Methylene blue or iodine
solution, Red onion bulb

Procedure:
A. Observation of Animal Cells (Human Cheek Cells)
1. A clean toothpick will be used to gently scrape the inner lining of the cheek.
2. The sample will be placed on a slide with a drop of water and stained using methylene blue or iodine.
3. A coverslip will be placed over the specimen.
4. The cells will be observed under the microscope using low power (LPO) and high power (HPO) objectives.
5. Visible structures such as the nucleus and cytoplasm will be identified.
B. Observation of Plant Cells (Onion Epidermal Cells)
1. A small piece of the red onion epidermis will be peeled and mounted on a slide.
2. A drop of iodine solution will be added before placing the coverslip.
3. The sample will be examined under both LPO and HPO.
4. Structures such as the cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm, and vacuole (if visible) will be observed.

III. Results
Data Table
Cell Type Visible Structures Arrangement of cells

Cheek Cells
Under the Low Power Objective, the visible
structures of the cheek cells include the cell In terms of arrangement, the cells under Low
membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus. The cell Power Objective appear loosely arranged and
membrane forms a distinct outline around each slightly overlapping. Many cells are visible at
cell. Inside, the cytoplasm appears lightly stained once, showing a flat and irregular shape,
and fills the entire space within the membrane. forming a thin layer of epithelial tissue. Under
At the center of each cell is a clearly visible Higher Power Objective, fewer cells are visible
nucleus, which appears as a dark, round or oval in the field of view due to the increased
structure. When switched to High Power magnification. However, individual cells can be
Objective, the same structures are seen with observed more clearly, with their boundaries
greater detail. The nucleus becomes more
and internal structures distinct. Despite the
sharply defined, the cytoplasm appears slightly
change in magnification, the cells remain
granular, and the cell membrane becomes more
pronounced and easier to distinguish. loosely packed and maintain their irregular,
flat appearance.

Onion Cells
In the Low Power Objective, it is clearly visible Under the Low Power Objective, the onion cells
that the cell wall forms rectangular shapes and appear tightly packed and arranged like bricks
 the cytoplasm appears as a light area inside each or rectangular patterns. As the magnification
cell. As it is switched to High Power Objective, increases to the High Power Objective, the
the nucleus becomes visible as a small dot within same arrangement remains visible, but fewer
the cytoplasm. The cytoplasm appears more cells are seen due to the closer view. In
visible, a jelly-like area surrounding the nucleus. addition, cell boundaries and internal
It fills the space between the nucleus and the cell structures become clearer and more defined,
wall which allows a clearer observation of the allowing for better visualization of their
cell's internal structure. structure.

Illustrations/Drawings:
Cell Type LPO HPO

Cheek Cells

Onion Cells

Documentation: (Minimum of 9 pictures)

During
 After

IV. Discussion

1. Which organelles were visible in each cell type?

In the experiment, the onion cells and cheek cells were observed under a microscope. During a low
power objective observation, the onion cells appeared to be close to one another, forming a uniform brick-
like structure altogether. The outline of these cells gave us a visualization of two of its organelles: the cell
wall and the cytoplasm. Under the low power objective observation of the cheek cells, the plasma
membrane was quite visible. It took an irregular thin shape and resembled a whiter outline. Its cytoplasm
was also visible, taking place inside the plasma membrane with a wider area and a whiter surface.

During the high power objective observations, the onion cells and cheek cells were observed in a
much more clearer visual. The onion cells had its cell wall in a closer view, its cytoplasm, and the nucleus
visible, taking the shape of a black circle. For the cheek cells, the white plasma membrane, the wide
cytoplasm, and the nucleus were now visible. Its nucleus were also taking the shape of darker circles.

2. How did the use of stains help identify these structures?

Cheek cells, like most animal cells, are nearly transparent when viewed under a microscope
without staining. To improve visibility, betadine, which is an iodine-based solution, was used to stain.
According to Llama and Alpaca Care (2014), iodine binds to organic materials inside the cell. This yellow
staining made the nucleus appear darker, the cytoplasm a bit noticeable, and although cheek cells do not
have a cell wall, the plasma membrane became slightly noticeable due to a difference in shading caused by
the betadine.

For onion cells, which are plant cells, have a defined rectangular shape due to the presence of the
cell wall. However, absence of staining can make the internal parts difficult to observe. To solve this,
methylene blue was used. Medu et al. (2020) claimed that methylene blue binds to nucleic acids such as the
DNA and RNA. This characteristic of the methylene blue made the nucleus appear darker or dark blue. The
rest of the cell took up the stain lightly, allowing the cytoplasm and the cell wall to be more distinguishable.
 Overall, the use of stains made the internal parts of the two cells more visible.Through the different
characteristics of each stain, the transparent parts were made more noticeable. The use of stain may not
only be used merely for detection, but as a gateway for more groundbreaking discoveries for sooner
research in biology.

3. What structural differences were observed between the two types of cells?

The cheek cell and onion cell exhibited distinct structural differences when viewed under the
microscope after staining. The cheek cell, being an animal cell, appeared irregular or rounded in shape and
lacked a cell wall. Only a thin plasma membrane was visible, and the nucleus was clearly seen spread
throughout the cell due to the iodine stain. The cytoplasm was lightly stained and spread throughout the
cell, where no cell wall was found.

In contrast, the onion cell, which is a plant cell, had a more regular, rectangular shape due to the
presence of a rigid cell wall. Inside the wall, the cell membrane was supposed to be visible, but was not
seen due to unprecedented circumstances. The nucleus, stained dark blue by methylene blue, was visible
and often located near the edge of the cell. The cytoplasm formed a wide but thin area along the cell.

Notably, chloroplasts were not visible in the onion cell since onions grow underground and do not
receive direct sunlight, hence not performing photosynthesis. These structural differences reflect the
distinct roles and functions of plant and animal cells.

V. Conclusion
Through this experiment, we were able to clearly observe and identify the different parts of plant
and animal cells using a compound microscope and appropriate stains. The objectives of examining cell
structures and differentiating between plant and animal cells were successfully met. We observed that both
cell types have a nucleus and cytoplasm, but only the plant cell has a rigid cell wall and a more uniform,
rectangular arrangement. In contrast, animal cells like the cheek cells have irregular shapes and are more
loosely arranged, lacking a cell wall. This activity helped us understand not only the structural differences
but also how stains enhance the visibility of organelles, making microscopic observation more effective and
informative.

Prepared by:
Haven Frulisha Padilla
Biology I Teacher