Lab Practical - Cells Interactive Lab

Use the dropdown boxes to provide an explanation for the variation in cell size in different human tissues.

(Blood cells) are smaller because they (must flow through tight spaces) and if they were larger they would not be able to (circulate through the body)

The prokaryotic cells you identified are smaller than most of the eukaryotic cells. Select the explanation or explanations for this phenomenon.

- Prokaryotic cells have smaller genomes - Prokaryotic cells do not have large organelles - Prokaryotic cells rely on diffusion to move ions and nutrients through the cell, which prohibits larger cell sizes. Eukaryotic cells utilize internal organelles and/or membrane protrusions to overcome this issue.

In humans, red blood cells lose their nuclei in the process of maturation. The loss of this organelle has several functional consequences. Select all the correct statements below:

- Removing the nucleus gives red blood cells their doughnut shape. - Removing the nucleus reduces the size of the cells. - Removing the nucleus increases the surface-to-volume ratio of red blood cells. - Removing the nucleus reduces the lifespan of the red blood cell, because without DNA the cell cannot make new proteins.

Cell theory states

1. All living things are made of cells 2. Cells are the smallest unit of life 3. Cells come only from other cells by cell division

Another student has left a slide on your lab microscope. You decide to look at it and identify the specimen so that you can put it back in the correct tray. The cells you see have a blocky, rectangular shape, a nucleus, and many small green structures. What is this cell's most likely identity?

A eukaryotic plant cell The nucleus gives you the clue that this is a eukaryotic cell. The rectangular shape and the small green structures (chloroplasts) indicate that this is a plant cell.

The bacterium that causes strep throat, Streptococcus, reproduces every twenty to thirty minutes.

All cells come from pre-existing cells

A snake has many different types of cells in its body, including skin cells that can be shed and red blood cells with a nucleus.

All living organisms are made of cells

Every cell must include which of the following?

An internal fluid environment A membrane Genetic information All cells have three things: a cell membrane, genetic information, and an internal fluid environment. In addition, cells have equipment called ribosomes that help them make proteins (such as enzymes).

Cells Interactive Lab - Post Assessment

Be able to answer any of the questions from the post-assessments.

A single-celled amoeba can eat smaller organisms like Paramecium, digesting them in a food vacuole for energy.

Cells are the smallest, most basic unit of life.

Can you compare these cells to common building materials and tools? Use the dropdowns to complete the analogy.

Cervical cells are like (roof shingles) that protect the deeper tissues from outside elements. Liver cells are like (3D printers) and can manufacture many different proteins from information stored in the (nucleus) and constructed in organelles such as the (ribosomes) using energy generated by the (mitochondria)

After completing this lab, can you compare and contrast the features found in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? Animal and plant cells?

Different features found between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells are things like the eukaryotic cells having a nucleus and membrane bound organelles. Animal cells don't have chloroplast or a cell wall like plant cells do.

Match each component of cell theory to the example that illustrates it.

Each living organism exemplifies the facts of the cell theory: all living things are made of cells; all cells come from pre-existing cells; and cells are the smallest, most basic unit of life.

Fat cells are plump, spherical cells that resemble the shape of an egg yolk. From the structural description, what do you suppose their function is?

Insulation and cushioning The pillowy texture and round shape of fat cells is perfect for insulating (for example, in the blubber of aquatic mammals), cushioning around organs, and cushioning your body while you're sitting doing homework!

How does the content of the lab relate to your everyday life?

It relates to our everyday life due to letting us know what cells look like as well as what happens inside them. They let us know the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. It also lets us know that Eukaryotic cells have two categories. These categories are animal eukaryotic cells and plant eukaryotic cells.

Rank the microscopes from lowest to highest magnification.

Lowest magnification - Compound Light Microscope - A compound light microscope is the type of scope used in this lab. Medium magnification - Scanning Electron Microscope - A scanning electron microscope has an intermediate magnification and can only look at the surface of an object, albeit in great detail. Highest magnification - Transmission Electron Microscope - A transmission electron microscope can look inside of a cell, at specific cell structures, with the highest magnification of them all.

Cells Interactive Lab - Post Lab

Questions and answers from the post lab

Cells Interactive Lab - Short Answers

Short questions and answers

Cells vary widely in size. Do you know how these cells compare to each other in size? Rank the cells from smallest to largest.

Smallest - E. Coli cells Medium - Human red blood cells Largest - Onion root cells Remember that prokaryotic cells are smaller than eukaryotic cells, making the cells of E. coli the smallest. After this lab, you could see that onion root cells are 25 times larger than red blood cells. Their relative sizes correlate to their respective purposes. Onion root cells absorb water, anchor the plant, and go through mitosis, so it benefits them to have a large size. On the other hand, red blood cells are small, enabling them to pass easily through capillaries, veins, and arteries, as well as have a high surface area-to-volume ratio for absorbing oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.

Prokaryotic cells tend to come in three main shapes. Which of the following components of prokaryotic cells is most directly responsible for their overall shape?

The cell wall, because it provides a rigid container for the cell.

Using your understanding of the role the nucleus plays in cellular function, select the best explanation for why white blood cells have such relatively large nuclei.

The nucleus must be relatively large because it stores the genetic information for making proteins such as antibodies.

Design a follow-up experiment to those featured in the lab. Make sure to include a testable and falsifiable hypothesis and components of viable experimental design.

You could look at the cells for onions or plants iin general. You could also try and look at human or animal cells if possible.