Lab 2: Cell Structure and Membrane Transport

Lab 2 Checklist: (to be completed before Lab 2)

If not already done, complete the Review Sheets from Lab 1.

Be prepared for the quiz at the beginning of this lab. The questions will be
based on material from last weeks lab.

Read The Cell Anatomy and Division and Transport Mechanisms and Cell
Permeability in your Lab Manual.

Read and start the Review Sheets for this lab.

Complete the Lab 2 Pre-lab Assignment below, in order to be eligible for one
mark on the quiz.

PRE-LAB ASSIGNMENT

The Cell - Transport Mechanisms and Cell

Permeability

Read Lab Manual Exercise: The Cell Transport Mechanisms and Cell Permeability.

Answer the following questions for Activity 3 in the Lab Manual before you
come to lab.
The dialysis membrane used to make the sacs has pores of a predetermined size,
and is therefore selectively permeable; only small molecules will pass through the
pores. In this pre-lab assignment, you will make predictions of what will happen in
the lab.

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1. a) Identify and label the contents of the beaker and of the sac for each
experiment.
b) Will there be net movement of any molecules across the wall of the sac in any
of the beakers? Add labelled arrows to the diagrams to show your predictions.

Beaker 1 Beaker 2
beaker fluid: beaker fluid:
sac fluid: sac fluid:

Beaker 3 Beaker 4
beaker fluid: beaker fluid:
sac fluid: sac fluid:

2. The table on the next page is similar to the one in which you will record your
results in the lab.

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Based on your predictions in Question 1 above, fill in the table as follows:

a) Predicted weight change: Use + if you predict a weight gain for the sac, - if
you predict weight loss for the sac.
b) Tests - beaker fluid and Tests - sac fluid: Read the information about the
Benedicts and AgNO3 tests in steps 5 and 7 of Activity 3. Use + if you predict a
positive test, - if you predict a negative test.

Predicted Data for Experiments on Diffusion through Nonliving Membranes

(The Cell - Transport Mechanisms and Cell Permeability: Activity 3)
Initial Final Predicted
Beaker Contents weight weight weight Tests - Tests-
of sac (to be (to be change of beaker sac fluid
determined determined sac (+ or -) fluid
in lab) in lab)
1. filled 10 ml 40% Benedicts Benedicts
with glucose test:(+ or -) test:(+ or -)
distilled
water
2. filled 10 ml 40%
with 40% glucose
glucose
3. filled 10 ml 10% AgNO3
with NaCl test:(+ or -)
distilled
water
4. filled 10 ml 40% Benedicts
with sucrose test:(+ or -)
distilled with Congo
water red dye

3. Why is the beaker fluid and sac fluid in #2 not to be tested with Benedicts or
AgNO3?

---------------THE END OF PRE-LAB ASSIGNMENT---------------

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Learning Objectives:

The student should be able to:

1. Briefly describe the structure and function of each of the following: plasma
membrane, mitochondria, ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, smooth
endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, peroxisomes, microtubules,
microfilaments, intermediate filaments, centrioles, cilia, flagella, nucleus,
nucleoli.
2. List in order the stages of the cell cycle and mitosis and briefly describe what
happens during each one.
3. Explain the difference between active and passive processes of cellular
transport.
4. Explain diffusion and osmosis through living and nonliving membranes.

Key Terms:

plasma (cell) membrane, phospholipids, cytoplasm, cytosol, mitochondria, ribosomes,

rough endoplasmic reticulum, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus,
lysosomes, peroxisomes, microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments,
centrioles, cilia, flagella, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nucleoli

cell life cycle, G1 phase, S phase, G2 phase, interphase, mitosis, chromosome,

chromatid, centromere, mitotic spindle, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase,
cytokinesis, cleavage furrow

selectively permeable, kinetic energy, diffusion, simple diffusion, facilitated

diffusion, osmosis, osmolarity, tonicity, hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic, hemolysis,
crenation, active transport, Na+-K+ pump, secondary active transport, vesicular
transport, endocytosis, exocytosis, phagocytosis

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 A. Orientation to The Cell

Part 1: Animal Cell Model

Identify the features and organelles on the cell model and provide their
description in the following chart.
Read the description of each of the following terms in your Lab Manual
exercise, and be able to give the function of each.
Test yourself: are you able to describe each organelle and its function
independent of your notes/lab manual?

# ORGANELLE DESCRIPTION FUNCTION

1. nucleus (in nuclear

envelope)

4. nucleoli

5. rough endoplasmic
reticulum

6. smooth endoplasmic
reticulum

7. free ribosomes

8. mitochondria

9. Golgi apparatus

12. centrioles

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Part 2: Observing Various Cell Structures

Plate # in
Microscope Slide A Brief Atlas
Name of Tissue
of the Human
Body
Simple squamous epithelium #5 : Simple squamous epithelium 1&2
Red blood cells On the tray provided: blood 22
smear
Sperm cells # 36: sperm cells NA
Teased smooth muscle cells #20: Smooth muscle (ts) 32

Part 3: Cell Life Cycle and Introduction to Mitosis

The process of mitosis is described in your Lab Manual exercise, and will also be
studied in lab using the Mitosis Models in part 4 below.

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Part 4: Mitosis Models (blue and white models)
Compare the models to the diagrams of the stages of mitosis in your Lab
Manual.
Identify and describe the following phases and their main features.

MODEL
STAGE DESCRIPTION
#

1 prophase (a)

3 metaphase (a)

6 anaphase (b)

7 telophase (a)

8 telophase (b)

B. The Cell: Transport Mechanisms and cell permeability

Read The Cell Transport Mechanisms and Cell Permeability and

perform/observe all activities in your Lab Manual.

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