Biology 105 – Human Biology
Session:
Section:
Class Location:
Days / Time:
Instructor:
Spring 2011
55244 4 Units
UVC1 St. Helena
F 9:00 AM – 3:50 PM
RIDDELL
Student ID#: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Student Name: Anyone Somebody
Team Name: CELL SPLITTERS
Team Members Names
Team Members ID#’s
Lab Assignment #: 1
Date: 110121.1
Lab Title: Reproductive Histology
Purpose / Objective(s):

Observing and research the histology of the reproductive system. Especially gametogenesis.
Hypothesis:

NA
Materials / Subjects / Specimens:


Light microscope
Prepared slides featuring a cross-section of:
- Ovary
- Testis
- Sperm
- Other
.
Methods / Tools / Instrumentation / Procedures:





Slides depicting various specimens Observed using a light microscope using various magnifications
100, 400 and 1000 X
Estimated cell size using a standardized calculator
Example attached
Results were recorded as a visual and written description
See Table of Experiments
Results

See Table 1 and Graph 1
- Comparison of cell sizes
Cell Size
Specimen
(microns)
Blood
Cheek Cell
Follicle
Oocyte
Sperm

See Illustrations and pictures from web research for comparison.
- Visual representation of human sperm and human oocyte.
- Sperm heads vary in shape and size. Sperm tails also vary in size
Analysis / Discussion:


Cells are very small in size, for animals and in human specimen depending on the tissue
Can we estimate the number of cells we see through the microscope
Page 1 of 3 106745355
Biology 105 – Human Biology
Session:
Section:
Class Location:
Days / Time:
Instructor:
Spring 2011
55244 4 Units
UVC1 St. Helena
F 9:00 AM – 3:50 PM
RIDDELL
Conclusions/Further Considerations:
Sperm are same size, very uniform. The sperm cell has a head, a middle piece and a tail. The
head of a sperm has the nucleus that contains densely coiled chromatin fibers which is surrounded by an
acrosome. The acrosome contains enzymes that are used when penetrating the egg of a female. The
middle part of the body has a central filamentous core with spiraled mitochondria all around it. The
mitochondria are used for ATP production. ATP is the energy used as the sperm travels towards the egg.
The tail also known as “flagellum” is what propels the sperm.
Blood cells are tiny in size and it is very difficult to estimate the number of them we see using the
microscope. However when we use the calculator we can find an estimate that is more revealing and
informative then our own guess. Blood is a specialized connective tissue consisting of a liquid matrix,
called plasma. There are fibers in blood and these are soluble proteins, visible only when the blood clots.
Blood transports various substances, many of which are dissolved in the plasma.
Oocytes or eggs are quite large through the microscope, making our estimating job a little easier.
When compared to the size of the sperm cells we can see how much larger the oocytes truly are. An
oocyte is a female gametocyte or germ cell in reproduction. The formation of an oocyte is called
oocytogenesis which is a part of oogenesis. This results in the formation of both primary oocytes prior to
birth and secondary oocytes following it as a part of ovulation.
Cheek cells are different. They are highly specialized epithelial cells. Epithelial cells differ
because they do not have a blood supply however, they do have nerve endings. Stratified epithelial tissue
lines the cheek. The tissue in this part of the body is made of squamous cells. Since these cells occur in
the inner lining of the cheek, they are also called cheek cells. Squamous cells are flat with a central
slightly flattened nucleus.
Follicles are spherical structure in the ovary that produces a secondary oocyte and the hormones
estrogen and progesterone. It is the basic unit in a female reproductive biology. They have a single
oocyte, or egg. Each month, one of the ovaries releases a mature egg, known as an oocyte. A follicle is in
the stage of a primary oocyte The nucleus of an oocyte is called a germinal vesicle.
Page 2 of 3 106745355
Biology 105 – Human Biology
Session:
Section:
Class Location:
Days / Time:
Instructor:
Spring 2011
55244 4 Units
UVC1 St. Helena
F 9:00 AM – 3:50 PM
RIDDELL
1. Graph 1: Size per Specimen in Micrometers (µm)
Cell Size Repro Histo Microns
Sperm
Cell Size
Oocyte
Follicle
Cell Size (microns)
Cheek Cell
Blood
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Specimen
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