THE CELL CYCLE LAB
Background
Concurrent with the evolution of large cells containing a nucleus through
endosymbiosis, a process of cellular and nuclear division had to develop. In
unicellular organisms the cell division is a form of reproduction while in
multicellular organisms it is a method of producing more cells during embryonic
development or maintenance of cells in the adult organism.
Objective
1) You should be able to use a compound light microscope with a prepared slide
to observe and identify the phases of the cell cycle.
Assignment
1. Answer the background question alone with your textbook, and be prepared to
answer questions before being allowed to proceed to the lab activity portion of
the activity.
2. Acquire a compound light microscope from the cabinets at the back of the
room.
3. Acquire a prepared microscope slide of mitosis and focus on the slide under –
power.
4. Next, scan the slide from left to right and from top to bottom searching for cells
in the various stages of mitosis. As you find each stage of mitosis, call me
over to check that you have found the correct phase and I will initial your
class work for that phase in the space provided, after you have found the
correct stage using the microscope and have describe the events of the stage
in sentence form.
THE CELL CYCLE LAB
Name: _______________________________
Background Questions
Questions (chapter 7 and 11)
1. What does the term diploid mean?
2. What cells in humans are diploid? How many chromosomes are found in the
diploid cells of humans?
2. Describe the cellular processes occurring during the G1, S, and G2 stages of
interphase.
G1 –
S–
G2 –
3. DNA replication during the S phase of interphase is said to be
“semiconservative”. What does this mean?
4. Identify and describe the function of enzymes critical to DNA replication
(enzymes usually end in “ase”).
Forms of DNA observed during the cell cycle.
1. Interphase
_____
Description of the phase -
2. Prophase
_____
Description of the phase -
3. Metaphase
_____
Description of the phase -
4. Anaphase
_____
Description of the phase -
5. Telophase
_____
Description of the phase -
6. Cytokinesis
_____
Description of the phase -