Name: Louis Bintang Alexis
Class: XI C
Using a Microscope to View the Phases of Mitosis
OVERVIEW
In this exercise, you will explore the stages of mitosis using the BioNetwork virtual microscope
([Link] to visualize and identify each stage in both onion root tip and
whitefish blastula slides.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Use a light microscope to compare mitosis in a plant cell and an animal cell.
• Identify each stage of mitosis in the whitefish blastula or the onion root tip.
• Compare the location of the chromosomes in each phase of mitosis in the whitefish.
BACKGROUND
Eukaryotic organisms have one or more chromosomes. When these cells divide it is important for the cell
to “keep track” of each chromosome to make sure that the new daughter cells have the DNA they need.
This is accomplished in a Eukaryote through mitosis. In this lab you will use the light microscope to view cells
at different stages of mitosis as well as the division of the cell called cytokinesis. You will view slides of an
onion root tip and a whitefish blastula.
Both of these organisms have cells in various stages of reproduction. You will look over the slide to identify and
collect information about each stage of Mitosis: Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase. Your textbook
may also be a helpful resource to make sure you have identified a correct example of each phase.
A stain has been used to dye DNA in the cells. This will make the chromosomes show up in a darker color
than the rest of the cell. Focusing the microscope with 40x objective should give you a close enough view of
the chromosomes
to find each phase. You will also look for spindle fibers which are attached to each chromosome and are
used by the cell to separate the chromosomes and move them to each pole. The description and what to
look for to identify each phase is listed in the chart below. As you examine each phase, sketch it in the
corresponding circle below. Make sure to describe or label the location of the chromosomes and spindle
fibers in each phase.
PROCEDURE: Mitosis in an Animal Cell
1) Click on the Explore link (bottom of the home page).
2) Click on the question mark on the slide box.
3) In the Slide Catalog, click on the Animal Slides.
4) Click on the Whitefish Interphase slide. It will automatically be placed on the stage of the
microscope.
5) Follow the steps you learned in the previous lab to focus on and magnify the
whitefish cells using different objectives.
6) Go through all 4 objectives to visualize the cells. Try to locate each phase of mitosis on the slide.
Then click Remove Slide and clean the microscope.
Hint: You may HAVe to moVe the slide around to find each phase.
7) In the Slide Catalog, click on the Plant Slides.
8) Click on the Onion Root slide. It will automatically be placed on the stage of the microscope.
9) Follow the steps you learned in the previous lab to view the onion cells using different objectives.
10) Go through all 4 objectives to visualize the cells. Try to identify examples of each phase of mitosis. Take
notes on the similarities and differences you noticed between the animal and plant mitosis.
Hint: You may have to move the slide around to find each phase.
11) When you have finished collecting your observations click Remove Slide and clean the microscope
12) In the Slide Catalog, click on Animal slides, then repeat steps 4 and 5 to view each separate stage of
mitosis in the Whitefish (Whitefish Late Prophase, Whitefish Metaphase, Whitefish Late Anaphase, and
Whitefish Telophase/Cytokinesis). The microscope will automatically center on the correct stage.
13) View each stage magnified with the 40X objective and complete the chart with a sketch and
observations of the chromosomes and spindle fibers at each stage.
14) Examine the slides for signs of cytokinesis.
15) Sketch a cell in cytokinesis in the results section.
16) Repeat steps to remove the slide and return to the home page.
RESULTS: Sketch what you see in each example
QUESTIONS
1)Which is easier to identify: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, or telophase? Metaphase
2)What was different about mitosis in the plant cell as compared to the animal cell? For mitosis in plant
cell, the cytokinesis occurs through furrow formation which looks like a circle. For mitosis in animal
cell, the cytokinesis occurs through the formation of cell plates, which separates the cell and looks
like a rectangle.
3) Select the correct facts about the result of mitosis:
a) 1 cell OR 2 cells OR 4 cells (answer: 2 cells)
b) Cells with identical DNA OR Cells with different DNA (answer: Cells with identical
DNA)
4)Were you able to identify a cell undergoing cytokinesis in the onion cell? As a plant cell what extra
layer must be formed to in the onion to separate the daughter cells? I was able to identify a cell
undergoing cytokinesis in the onion cell. In order for the daughter cells to separate, an extra layer
called the cell plate must be formed. The cell plate is formed by the fusion of the vesicles of the
phragmoplast, which grows from the center toward the cell walls.
Interphase
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
This is the normal life of the cell when it is not dividing. Most cells
you see will be in interphase. Look for cells where the nucleus has a consistent color
overall. Describe the appearance of DNA:
Do you see spindle fibers?
Prophase
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
Mitosis begins with the chromatin condensing (coiling) into chromosomes. The
nuclear en- velope begins to break down. Look for areas in the nucleus that are
becoming darker or look “bunched” up.
Describe the location of the chromosomes:
Describe the spindle fibers:
Metaphase
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
Chromosomes are fully condensed and they line up across the middle of the cell. Look for
thick, dark chromosomes lined up in the middle. You may also see the spindle fibers
connecting the chromosomes to the centrosomes at each pole.
Describe the location of the chromosomes:
Describe the spindle fibers:
Anaphase
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
Chromosomes separate and are pulled by spindle fibers to
either end of the cell. Look for the dark chromosomes at
each end.
Describe the location of the chromosomes:
Describe the spindle fibers:
Telophase
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
Chromosomes reach the poles of the cell and begin to relax, nuclear envelopes begin
to form. Look for dark bundles of DNA at each end, you may also be able to see the
spindle fibers in the middle of the cell and the cell may look like it has 2 nuclei.
Describe the location of the chromosomes:
Describe the spindle fibers:
Cytokinesis
Sample: Whitefish Magnification: 10x/40x
Following mitosis the cell divides in two. Look for a “pinching-in” in the middle
of two cells – this is the cleavage furrow. Cells at the end of telophase may
begin cytokinesis.
Describe the location of the chromosomes:
Describe the spindle fibers:
Describe cytokinesis:
