TASK 3: OBSERVATION OF MITOSIS IN ONION ROOTS APICAL MERISTEMS

ABSTRACT
Mitosis happened in onion roots apical meristem. In order to identify the mitotic stages, root tip
of onion was measured 2 cm and cut then placed in 18% hydrochloric acid. Next, the 2 mm of
the tip was covered with acetoorcein and heated. The stain was blotted away and covered with
cover slip and observed under the microscope. We can see different stages of mitosis clearly
under the microscope that are interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase and telophase. Every
stage showed different characteristics. All the stages not happen at once thus, the mitosis is a
continuous process.
INTRODUCTION
New cells are produced through cell division either mitosis or meiosis. Mitosis is a form of cell
division that results in two identical daughter cells whereas meiosis is a form of division of four
daughter cells. Mitosis happen in onion root that divide to form new cells to replace old, dead
cells, to grow and reproduce new cells. In the observation of onion root apical meristem we have
to familiarize with various stages of mitosis such as prophase, metaphase, anaphase and
telophase. Thus, we have to get one image of observation using the best magnification so we can
identify which one is.
MATERIALS
1. Compound microscope
2. Slides and coverslips
3. Distilled water
4. Petri dish
5. 18% hydrochloric acid
6. Onion bulb with growing roots
7. Acetoorcein
8. Cutting tile
9. Forceps
10. Chloroform

PROCEDURE
1.
2.
3.
4.

2cm from the cap of the root was measured and the root tip was cut.
The root was placed in 18% hydrochloric acid for 4 minutes.
Then, the root was transferred to acetoorcein with chloroform for 4 minutes.
The 2cm root was placed on a slide and trimmed away all but 1-2mm of the tip was kept.
The 1-2mm was kept to ensure that the root apical meristem sections for preparation

slides still have.

5. The tip was covered with 2-3 acetoorcein and was heated for 2 minutes.
6. The stain was blotted away, a drop of water was added, covered with a coverslip and
pressure was applied to the cover slip with a pencil eraser until the cell of the root tip was
spread out as a single layer.
7. The prepared slide was observed using compound microscope. The low power of
objectives was used to identify the thin layer of the cells and high power objective was
used to observe mitotic stages in individual cell.
8. The observation was recorded and the stages of mitosis were labeled.

RESULTS

Prophase
Telophas

Interphas

Anaphas
Metapha

Slide: Onion root tip cells

Total magnification:
= ocular x objectives
= 10 x 40
= 400x objectives

DISCUSSION

Based on the result of Task 2, we had found all of mitotic stages that are interphase, prophase,
metaphase, anaphase and telophase. For the stage of interphase, the chromosomes are less
condense and less visible. The chromosomes were in the form of threadlike chromatin. Next, the
prophase stage was showed when the chromosome appeared condensed and became visible. A
small dot that was the nuclei can be seen clearly within the cell. In a certain cell, the
chromosomes coiled and became thick. The thick chromosomes were lined up at equatorial plate
or metaphase plate each with two chromatids. The certain cell showed that the cell was in
metaphase stage. The anaphase stage of cell was detected when the chromatids of each
chromosome was separated away and moving towards the pole. The cell that was in telophase
stage looks like the chromosomes were at the poles and diffused. A nuclear membrane begins to
form in each nucleus and the cytoplasm of the cell may be dividing.
QUESTIONS
1. Explain how we were able to stop the onion root cells in each of the stages of mitosis.
Name the chemical used in lab for this purpose.
We can stop the mitosis stages use mitotic inhibitors such as paclitaxel, docetaxel and
vinblastine. The mitotic inhibitors disrupt the microtubules which structure that are
pulling the cell apart when it divides. Mitotic inhibitors bind to tubulin and inhibit its
polymerization into microtubules.

CONCLUSION
Overall, we could clearly identify the various stages of mitotic cell division based on the
behavior of the cells. Every stages showed different characteristics thus we can familiarized with
those mitotic stages. The major of the cells in the Task 3 were in interphase stage. Most of the
cells showed characteristic of interphase that is chromosomes are less condensed and less visible.
All of somatic cell undergoes mitosis multiple times in a continuous process. The cells are not at
the same stages at once and move through the stages at different times.
REFERENCES

1. O

Connor,

2014,

Mitosis

and

Cell

Division,

Retrieved

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/mitosis-and-cell-division-205

from