Name: ___________________________________Date: _______________ Period: ______

Plant and Animal Cell Microscope Lab

PART A: VIEWING THE CELLS OF THE ONION EPIDERMIS
1. Using forceps, gently peel off the thin skin from inside (the concave side) of your onion chunk. Place the
skin on the microscope slide. You only need a small piece of skin. Be careful to spread out the membrane so
it is not folded back on itself.
2. Add a small drop of water on top of the skin and apply a cover slip. Press the cover slip gently to drive out
air bubbles.
3. Examine the slide under LOW POWER. Move the slide until you find an area where the cells are clear and
sharp.
4. Switch to HIGH POWER and study a few cells. Draw what you see in the attached box.
5. Switch back to LOW POWER and remove the slide from the microscope stage. To stain the cells place a
small drop of Iodine at the edge of the cover slip. Draw the stain through the specimen by placing a small
piece of paper towel to the opposite edge.
NOTE: USE CARE WHEN USING THE IODINE. IT IS A STAIN SO IT CAN STAIN YOUR
CLOTHING AND SKIN.
6. Examine the slide under LOW POWER. Find an area where the cells are sharp and structures are darkened
from the stain.
7. Switch to HIGH POWER and focus with the fine adjustment only.
8. Study the cells and draw what you see in the attached box.
9. Once you are finished with your onion slide, take a piece of paper towel and wipe your slide off into the
trash can. DO NOT THROW OUT THE MICROSCOPE SLIDE OR COVERSLIP.
10. Rinse the slide and cover slip with some water and dry with a paper towel.

PART B: VIEWING THE CELLS FROM YOUR CHEEK EPITHELIUM
1. Place a SMALL drop of Lugols Iodine in the center of a clean slide.
2. Using the WIDE end of a clean toothpick, gently scrape the inside of your cheek.
CAUTION: SCRAPE GENTLY !!! DO NOT STAP THE INSIDE OF YOUR CHEEK WITH THE TOOTHPICK.
YOU ONLY NEED A FEW OF YOUR CHEEK CELLS FOR OBSERVATION.
3. Spread the material on the toothpick in the drop of stain on your slide and cover with a cover slip.
IMMEDIATELY THROW OUT YOUR USED TOOTHPICK INTO THE TRASH CAN!
4. Focus under LOW POWER. If you find clumps of cells, you probably scraped your cheek too hard. Ignore
these clumps and move the slide until you find a few separate cells.
5. Switch to HIGH POWER and use the fine adjustment to sharpen the image on the slide. Draw what you see
in the attached box.
6. Be sure to clean your slide and cover slipwash and dry both for the next user.