INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY HCMC

SCHOOL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
June 2014 version.

BIOLOGY (BT155IU)
Labwork Manual

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 GENERAL ISSUES

GRADING
Labwork assessments
Prelab (individually) 30%
Lab report (in group) 40%
Lab examination (individually) 30%
Total 100%

CODE OF CONDUCT
1. Students must understand, remember and follow the Laboratory safety (see next page) before
starting this course.
2. Absence without permission is not allowed, due to the nature of the labs. For make-up class,
join another group having that practical session.
3. Pre-labs must be submitted at 8AM or 1:15PM on each practical class.
4. Examination is composed of practical performance and questions answering.
*** More information, please go to:

OUTLINES

LABORATORY SAFETY

PRACTICAL 1: MICROSCOPY, CELL OBSERVATION &

OSMOSIS PRACTICAL 2: ORGANIC COMPOSITIONS OF THE

CELL PRACTICAL 3: PHOTOSYNTHESIS & TRANSPIRATION

PRACTICAL 4: ENZYMES

PRACTICAL 5: CELL DIVISIONS: MITOSIS &

MEIOSIS PRACTICAL 6: EXAMINATION: SKILLS &

WRITING

GUIDELINE FOR LAB-REPORT

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 LABORATORY SAFETY

Before doing lab-work, students should be aware of the risks, hazards and safety conditions
maintained in laboratory. Risk is identified as a substance or biological agent that might be harmful
under specific circumstances while hazard is the ability of a substance or biological agent to cause
harm. In any case, a person working with chemicals, bio-chemicals or other related agents should
follow strictly certain principles applied in each laboratory, and all practical works must be carried
out with safety in mind to minimize the risk of harm to yourself and to others. The followings are the
basic rules for laboratory work.
1. Make sure that you know what to do in case of fire, including exit routes, how to raise the
alarm, and where to gather after leaving the building. Remember that the most important consideration
at all time is human safety.
2. Follow tutor’s instructions and the laboratory principles while doing lab work.
3. Wear lab-coat and closed footwear at all time.
4. Do not smoke, eat or drink in laboratory because of the risks of contamination by
inhalation or ingestion.
5. Do not mouth-pipette any liquid.
6. Take care when handling glassware.
7. Know the warning symbols for specific chemical hazards (see below).

8. Use fume cupboard for hazardous chemicals.

9. Work in a logical, tidy manner and minimize risks by planning in advance.
10. Clean up working bench and experimental tools at the end of each lab session.
11. Dispose wastes in appropriate containers.

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 Practical 1: MICROSCOPY, CELL OBSERVATION & OSMOSIS

AIMS OF THE PRACTICAL

 Familiarize students with the use and care of microscope, an indispensible instrument for
anyone who works in biological fields.
 Introduce students the microscopic sample preparation of plant cells and animal cells.
 Examine the osmosis process in plant cells.

1. MICROSCOPY

Microscopy is defined as a study of using microscopes to

observe very small objects that are invisible to the human naked
eye. Light microscope can enhance our capacity to view detail by
1000 times, so that we can see samples as small as 0.1 μm in
diameter. High-tech microscopes, such as Transmission Electron
Microscope (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), are
able to give visual magnification up to 200,000 times and
fascinating features in comparison with unaided visibility. In fact,
the biological understanding of cell structures and functions would
be extremely restricted without microscopes.
All microscopes consist of a coordinated system of lenses
arranged so that a magnified image of the specimen can be seen by
Figure 1.1: Basic principle of
the viewer. The main differences among different types of a light microscope or optical
microscopes are the power source to produce the picture, nature microscope.
and the arrangement of the lens system and maximal resolution (resovling power) they can offer. In
general, microscope works base on the magnification of specimen image through a series of lenses.
There are different types of microscope: Compound light microscopes, Stereoscopes, Confocal
microscopes, Scanning electron microscopes, Transmission electron microscopes…
Construction of a Compound Microscope
 Eyepieces (ocular lens): are placed at the top of the body tube. They transmit and magnify
the image from the objective lens to eyes. Eyepiece has its own magnification power. The eyepieces
that you use will have magnification power of 10 (10x).
 Objective lens: are lens or series of lenses that gather light from specimen and help to
magnify the specimen image. This is the most important part of a microscope. To figure the total

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magnification of an image that you are viewing through the microscope, take the power of the
objective lens (4x, 10x, 40x, 100x) and multiply by the power of the eyepiece.

Figure 1.2: Different parts of a compound light microscope.

 Body tube: allows light to travel from the objectives through a series of magnifying lenses to
the eyepieces. In your microscope, the eyepieces are held at an angle for convenient use, and the body
tube contains a prism that bends the light rays so that they will pass through the eyepieces.
 Stage: is the surface or platform on which you can place your specimen. Stage clips or
specimen holder is used to clamp your specimen on the stage. For your microscope, the stage is
movable and is called a mechanical stage. The movement is controlled by two knobs (X-axis and Y-
axis knobs) located on the bottom of the stage. They allow the specimen to move vertically and
horizontally.
 Condenser: is a lens system under the stage that gathers light from the light source and
focuses it onto the specimen.
 Condenser Adjustment Control: is to adjust the height of the condenser. Usually, the
condenser always will be all the way up.
 Aperture iris diaphragm: is to control the level of light that can go through the condenser.
 Light source: the illuminator of most microscopes is built into the base of the microscope
and controlled by on/off switch. You can control the light intensity by adjusting the voltage of a
transformer attached to the illuminator.

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  Coarse Focus Knob and Fine Focus Knob: You focus a microscope by using the Coarse
and Fine Focus knobs. Both coarse (large) and fine (small) adjustment knobs are found on both sides
of our microscopes. Remember that the coarse adjustment is used only with the low-power objective
(4x). These knobs control a gear mechanism that raise and lower the stage.

Proper Use of a Compound Microscope

1.1. General instructions
 Avoid dropping the microscope, banging it against a lab bench, or having the eyepieces fall out.
- Carry the microscope upright using both hands. Keep one hand on the arm and another at the
bottom of the microscope.
- Keep microscope away from the edge of the bench.
- Switch off the illuminator and remove power cords from the power supply when not in use.
 Avoid breaking a coverslip and microscope slide, and even the objective lens while focusing.
- First adjust the stage to the lowest position.
- Locate the ready specimen using the lowest power objective lens, and then switch to the higher
power objective lenses.
- Never focus the high power lenses with the coarse adjustment knob, and never use these lenses to
examine thick specimens.
1.2. Focusing
Notice: Always use clean microscope slides, and proceed from the lowest power to the highest power
objectives.

Figure 1.3. Preparing a wet mount slide

1. Clean the eyepieces and objective lens using lens-cleansing papers (if necessary)
2. Cut out a letter “e” from a newspaper or other printed page. Clean a microscope slide and
prepare a wet mount of the letter, following Figure 1.3.
3. Put the lowest power objective (4x) in position, lowest the stage of the microscope, and place
the slide on the microscopic stage.
4. Switch on the illuminator and diaphragm fully, and adjust the condenser level appropriately.
5. Move the specimen into the bright area on the stage using X and Y-axis knobs.

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 6. Lift the stage up close to the objective lens using the coarse focus (clock-wise direction)
while observing through the eyepieces until the specimen comes into focus.
7. Use the diaphragm to adjust the light intensity as necessary as well as center the specimen by
moving the slide using X and Y-axis knobs.
8. Switch from the scanning objective (4x) into the high-power objective (10x). Refine the focus
by gentle adjustment with fine focus knob only.
9. Switch to the higher-power objective (40x or 100x) and again adjust the focus with the fine
focus knob only.

2. CELL OBSERVATION

Objective: Observation different cell types (plant cells and animal cells) under microscope at
different objective lens and make comparation (shape, size…)
Materials and Equipments:
 Onion bulb
 Lugol solution
 Light Microscopes
 Blades
 Glass slides
 Forceps
 Coverslips
 Tooth-pick
 Water

2.1. Plant Cells – Onion Epidermis Cells

1. Remove a piece of an onion leaf from a section of an onion bulb.
2. Break the piece of onion leaf into half as shown in Figure 1.4. The outer epidermis layer
should be easy to separate from the rest of the leaf.

Figure 1.4. How to obtain a piece of onion for slide preparation

3. Place the epidermis layer flat on a slide. Wrinkles will trap air bubbles and obscure your
observations.
4. Add a drop of water/Lugol solution and cover with a coverslip.
5. Observe your slide with your microscope. Remember to locate a good region of the epidermis
with the lowest magnification (4x) lens before observing details of cell structure with higher
magnifications up to 100x.

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 2.2. Animal Cells – Human Cheek Cell Epithelium
1. Gently scrape the inside of your cheek with the broad end of a toothpick. (You won’t need to
puncture your cheek to obtain a good supply of cells.)
2. Smear your cheek scrapings on a clean slide. Wrap your toothpick in a dry paper towel and
immediately dispose it into the waste-container provided.
3. Make a wet mount of your cheek cells by adding a drop of water/Lugol solution to the slide.
4. Add a coverslip and observe the slide at very low light intensity.
5. When you locate some cheek cells, at 4x objective lense center them in the field of view and
move to the next power level (10x) for observation. Re-focus and center your cheek cells and then
view them with the high power (40x and 100x) objective lens. Observation.

3. OSMOSIS

Diffusion is specified as the net movement of molecules from the regions of higher solute
concentration to the regions of lower solute concentration.
Osmosis is a special form of diffusion in which water molecules flow across a differentially
permeable membrane from a solution with a lower solute concentration to a solution with a higher
solute concentration. This membrane allows only certain types of molecules to pass through it or
permeate it freely. Cellular membrane is a type of differentially permeable membrane.
Osmosis does not require expenditure of energy but an energetically "downhill" process. Since
the water must lose energy as it moves by osmosis, water must move from an area of greater water
potential to an area of lower water potential:
 Hypertonic solution has water potential outside the cell lower than inside the cell, then there
will be a net movement of water out of the cell.
 Hypotonic solution has water potential outside the cell greater than inside the cell, then
osmosis will be a spontaneous net movement of water into the cell.
 In isotonic solution, the water potential on each side of a cell membrane is the same, there
will be no net movement of water across the membrane.
Osmotic pressure of a solution is proportional to the effective concentration of dissolved
particles, regardless of the size or chemical nature of the particle.
Objective: Demontrate and observe the osmosis and osmotic pressure using epidemic plant cells
from Zebrina pendula leaf.
Materials and Equipments:
 A leaf of Zebrina pendula
 Glass slides + Coverslips
 Distilled water
 Blades + Forceps
 5% Sodium chloride solutions
 Microscopes
 0.85% Sodium chloride solutions
 Paper towel
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 3.1. Plant cells – Plasmolysis
Plant cells always have a strong cell wall surrounding them. When taking up water by osmosis
they start to swell, but the cell wall prevents them from bursting. Plant cells become "turgid" when
they are put in dilute solutions. Turgid means swollen and hard. The pressure inside the cell rises;
eventually the internal pressure of the cell is so high that no more water can enter the cell. This liquid
or hydrostatic pressure works against osmosis. Turgidity is very important to plants because this is
what make the green parts of the plant "stand up" into the sunlight.
When plant cells are placed in concentrated NaCl solutions they lose water by osmosis and they
become "flaccid"; the exact opposite of "turgid". If you put plant cells into concentrated NaCl
solutions and look at them under a microscope you would see that the contents of the cells have shrunk
and pulled away from the cell wall: they are said to be plasmolysed. And this phenomenon is call
plasmolysis.
When plant cells are placed in a solution which has exactly the same osmotic strength as the cells
they are in a state between turgidity and flaccidity. We call this incipient plasmolysis. "incipient"
means "about to be". When one forgets to water the potted plants, their leaves drop. Although their
cells are not plasmolysed, they are not turgid and so they do not hold the leaves up into the sunlight.
Procedure
1. Use a scalpel to peel a thin epidermis layer (purple side) of the Zebrina pendula leaf. Prepare
3 samples.
2. In each sample, put a small drop of 0.85% NaCl, 5% NaCl or water on a clean glass slide.
3. Place the peeled layer to the saline on the slide. Add a coverslip.
4. Examine the plant cells with the high power lens (40x). Locate the region where the cells are
not too dense.
5. Observe the plant cells and the difference among samples (focus to the cellular content -
purple area) that occur as the solutions reach them.
3.2. Animal cells – Hemolysis
The cell membrane of erythrocytes (red blood cells) is permeable to water but relatively
impermeable to salts. If red blood cells are placed in an isotonic saline solution (0.85% NaCl), the
cells will retain their shape and size.
If the red blood cells are in a hypotonic saline solution, water will enters the cells more rapidly
than it leaves. As a consequence, the red blood cells swell and ultimately bust, releasing hemoglobin.
This phenomenon is called hemolysis. Red blood cells if placed in a hypertonic saline solution will
shrink and appear to have a bumpy, irregular outline. The cells are said to be crenated.

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 Practical 2: ORGANIC COMPOSITIONS OF THE CELL

PRE-LABS

1. What are 4 classes of biological macromolecules and their building blocks?

2. Describe structure of carbohydrate (starch, sugar).
3. What is the difference between Lugol and Iodine solution? How can we prepare them?
4. Describe structure of protein.
5. How would you prepare 100 ml of 0.5% CuSO4 solution from CuSO4.5H2O (MW = 250)?
6. Where can we find lipid in plant cells and animal cells?
7. Describe structure of nucleic acid.
8. In the forthcoming practical session, you will have to use a number of different chemical
solutions: Lugol solution, concentrated HCl, NaOH, CuSO 4, Soudan III, 20% Ethanol and glycerin.
List three solutions, which are most potentially toxic and thus require caution while handling, in your
opinion. Explain your reason.

AIMS OF THE PRACTICAL

Help students to identify the three main organic compositions of the cell: carbohydrates, proteins
and lipids in one sample.

1. CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates make up a group of chemical compound found in plant and animal cells. They
have the empirical formula CnH2nOn or (CH2O)n. An empirical formula of carbohydrate tells the
atomic compositions of the compound. Carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides,
disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Glucose (carbohydrate) is the primary products of plant photosynthesis. The simplified light-
driven reaction of photosynthesis results in the formation of carbohydrates:
nH2O + nCO2 (CH2O)n + nCO2
This type of carbohydrate is found in the structure of plants and is used in the reverse reactions
of photosynthesis (respiration) or is consumed as fuels by plants and animals. The excess glucose is
stored in form of starch in plants. While in animal, the excess produced glucose is stored in form of
glycogen in liver and muscles.
The most stable three-dimensional structure for starch and glycogen is a tightly coiled helix
stabilized by inter-chain hydrogen bonds.

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 In amylose (with no branches) this structure is
regular enough to allow crystallization and thus
determination of the structure by X-ray diffraction. Each
residue along the amylose chain forms a 60 o angle with
the preceding residue, so the helical structure has six
residues per turn. For amylose, the core of the helix is of
precisely the right dimensions to accommodate iodine in
the form I3- or I5- (iodide ions), this complex has the
deep blue color and this interaction with iodine is a
common qualitative test for amylose.
However, this glycosidic bond is easily wrecked
by heat, enzyme, acidic or basic treatment. Figure 2.1: Interaction between amylose
Hydrolyzing the starch with acid or exposing to high and iodine ions when starch is treated with
Lugol solution
temperature result in the formation of mixture of
saccharides with different lengths (including the one-, two- or number of glucose chains). Once the
helix structure of homopolycarbohydrate is broken, the conformation with iodine no longer exists.
Objective: How to detect the starch in the sample/solution by Lugol solution. And understand
the effect of temperature to the structure of the starch.
Materials and equipments:
 Potato
 Pasteur Pipettes
 Rice starch suspension.
 Concentrated HCl solution
 Microscope
 Test tube racks
 Test tubes
 Test tube clamps
 Glass slides, coverslips
 Toothpicks
 Lugol solution
 Waterbath
1.1. Task 1 – Microscopic Observation of Starch Granules
1. Prepare the clean glass slide and coverslip.
2. Cut the potato and scratch potato at the edge of this cut.
3. Collect the scratching and place on the slide, add a water drop and cover with coverslip.
Observe under microscope.
4. After that adding 1-2 drops of Lugol solution to the edge of the coverslip and observe the
phenomenon
1.2. Task 2 – Chemical Detection of Starch
1. Add 5ml of starch suspension into a test tube.
2. Take out one drop of rice starch suspension and put onto the glass slide. Add 1 drop of Lugol
solution and mix well using a toothpick. Observe the color change of this suspension (compare with
the original color of Lugol solution).

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 3. After that, add 5 drops of concentrated HCl solution into that test tube containing 5ml of
starch suspension. Mix well.
4. Take out 1 drop of starch-HCl mixture onto the slide and test the color with 1 drop of Lugol
solution.
5. Place the test tube containing starch and HCl into the rack which has been already submerged
in the hot water (the waterbath is set to 100oC) and boil this suspension. Every 2 minutes, take out one
drop of hydrolysed starch-HCl mixture using Pateur pipette and put onto a glass slide, let it cool down
for a while and add 1 drop of Lugol solution. Observe the change of color intensity.
6. Continue to boil and test with Lugol solution until no color change is detected. Mark the time
that the color does not change.

2. PROTEINS

Proteins are complex polymers composed of amino

acids. Amino acids contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and
sometimes sulfur and serve as monomers for making
peptides and proteins. Amino acids are linked together by
peptide bonds in which the carboxyl carbon of one amino
Figure 2.2: A Peptide bond links two
acid forms a covalent bond with the amino nitrogen of the amino acid residues
other amino acid.
Short chains of amino acid are called peptides, longer chains of amino acids are called
oligopeptides or polypeptides.
In the strong basic environment, two nitrogen atoms from two adjacent peptide bonds can
coordinate with other two nitrogen atoms on
other peptide chain in the conformation with
metal ions such as Cu, Zn… if present. The
complex gives out the color ranging from
purple to red depending on the length of
peptide chain (or the number of peptide bonds).
This Biuret reaction is used to detect the Figure 2.4. Protein-Copper complex formation in
presence of peptide or protein in sample. Biuret reaction

Objective: Understand the Biuret reaction and the role of chemical reagents in protein detection.
Materials and Equipment:
 Protein suspensions of egg white and fresh cow milk
 Test tubes
 10% NaOH solution
 Pasteur Pipettes
 0.5% CuSO4 solution

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 Qualitative Detection of Proteins
1. Pipette 2 ml of protein suspension into a test tube.
2. Add 2 ml (or 10 drops) of 10% NaOH solution. Mix well.
3. Add one to 2-3 drops of 0.5% CuSO4 solution into the test tube.
4. Observe the color.

3. LIPIDS

Lipids are a group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble
vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids,
and others. Biological lipids originate entirely or in part from two distinct types of biochemical
subunits or "building-blocks": ketoacyl and isoprene groups. Using this approach, lipids may be
divided into eight categories: fatty acids, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids,
saccharolipids, and polyketides (derived from condensation of ketoacyl subunits); and sterol lipids and
prenol lipids (derived from condensation of isoprene subunits).
The main biological functions of lipids include storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural
components of cell membranes. Lipids may be broadly defined as hydrophobic or amphiphilic small
molecules; the amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles,
liposomes, or membranes in an aqueous environment.
Objective: Detect and observe the lipid in plant cells using red Soudan III solution.
Materials and Equipments:
 Peanut (soaked in water)
 Pasteur pipettes
 Soudan III solution
 Microscope
 20% Ethanol
 Glass slides & cover slip
 Blades
Qualitative Detection of Lipids
1. Slice the peanut (which was soaked in water) as thin as possible.
2. Place it on glass slide; add a drop of Soudan III solution. Keep sample in this solution for
staining in 10 minutes.
3. Wash the slide with 20% Ethanol.
4. Add a drop of water/immersion oil to the sample then put the coverslip on.
5. Observe the lipid granules stained in peanut cells using microscope up to 100x.

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 Practical 3: PHOTOSYNTHESIS & TRANSPIRATION

PRE-LABS

1. What are autotrophs and heterotrophs? Give each one example.

2. What is “photosynthesis”? How many stages are there in the photosynthesis? Describe.
3. Where is the chlorophyll distributed in plants and animals?
4. What is the function of chlorophyll?
5. Define the terms “transpiration” and “respiration”. What is the difference between them?
6. What are stomata and guardcells? Describe their distribution on the leaf.

AIMS OF THE PRACTICAL

Help students to understand the process of photosynthesis by examining the products of

photosynthetic reaction.

1. PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, some bacteria, and some protistans use the
energy from sunlight to produce sugar, which can then be converted into ATP, the "fuel" used by all
living things via cellular respiration process. The overall photosynthesis reaction can be summarized as
follow:
6H2O + 6CO2---------> C6H12O6 + 6O2
Photosynthesis is associated with the activities of
the green pigment chlorophyll. Several modifications
of chlorophyll occur among plants and other
autotrophic organisms. A pigment is defined as a
substance that can absorb light. The color of the
pigment comes from the wavelengths of light reflected
(in other words, those are not absorbed). Chlorophyll,
the green pigment common to all photosynthetic cells, Figure 3.1: Structure of a chloroplast

absorbs all wavelengths of visible light except green,

which reflects the green colour to be seen by our eyes.
Chlorophyll is embedded in the membrane of a specific structure called thylakoid. This is the
unit of photosynthesis. Thylakoids are stacked like pancakes in stacks known collectively as granum.

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The areas between grana are referred as stroma. While the mitochondrion has double membrane
systems, the chloroplast has three, forming three compartments.
Objective: In this experiment, we will examine the presence of photosynthetic products in plant.
Materials & Equipments
 Waterweed
 Lugol solution
 Leaf with covered part
 Beaker, petri dish, test tube, forceps
 Ethanol 70%
 Absorbent paper
1.1. Task 1 – Examination of Oxygen Formation
1. Prepare one beaker with two thirds of water.
2. Turn down the funnel to the beaker.
3. Put 10 waterweed branches into the funnel.
4. Cover the tunnel end with the test tube filled with water and bring this beaker to the light.
5. Observe the formation of coming up bubbles and record the level of water goes down every 3
days up to 2 weeks.
6. After the incubation time, take out the test tube from the funnel while still keep it at the
original orientation, cover the test tube by hand and upturn this test tube.
7. Remove hand and immediately test the gas in test tube with the burned match.
8. Observe what happens with the fire from match.
1.2. Task 2 – Examination of Starch Formation
1. Choose one leaf on a growing tree. Clean this leaf with water and tissue paper and then dry.
2. Use a piece of black paper or cotton to cover the middle half of this leaf, make sure that no
light can penetrate to this part. Leave it for at least two weeks. (*should not use electric tape – too stick
to remove without breaking the leaf)
3. On the day of doing the experiment, pick this leaf from the tree.
4. Remove the cover (paper or cotton). Notice the color difference between two areas of the leaf.
5. Put this leaf into the boiling water for 5 minutes.
6. Use forceps to take out the leaf from hot water and put it into the test tube with ethanol 70%,
put this test tube with leaf into boiling water, continue to boil until the green color disappears.
7. Take out the leaf from test tube, wash with water and stretch it out on a Petri dish, dry the
leaf with absorbent paper and then add Lugol solution into the dish.
8. Observe the color in 2 areas of the leaf.

2. TRANSPIRATION

Water enters the root and is transported up to the leaves through specialized plant cells known as
xylem. Land plants must guard against drying out (desiccation), mainly via the leave system.
Adaptation through evolution has made the leaf surface usually covered by a cuticle layer in order to

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avoid water evaporation. However, the leaves also contain specialized structures known as stomata to
allow gas to enter and leave the leaf. This is especially important for photosynthesis process. Carbon
dioxide cannot pass through the protective waxy layer covering the leaf (cuticle), but it can enter the
leaf through an opening the stoma flanked by two guard cells. Likewise, oxygen produced during
photosynthesis can only pass out of the leaf through the opened stomata. Unfortunately for the plant,
while these gases are moving between the inside and outside of the leaf, a great deal water is also lost
though the same way. Cottonwood trees, for example, will lose 100 gallons of water per hour during
hot, sunny days.
Objective: We will examine the evaporation of water in leaf by using the indicator from Co2+.
The Co2+ ion can form the complex with absorbed water and change its original color (blue) to the
color of its conjugate with water (pink).
CoCl 2-
+ 6H O Co(H O) 2+
+ 4Cl-
4 2
blue pink
Materials and Equipments
 3 different kinds of leaves
 Sticking tape
 3% CoCl2 solution
 Forceps
 Absorbent paper
 Petri dish
 Scissors
 Desiccator
Examination of Water Loss on Leaf Surface
1. Cut the absorbent paper into pieces with size smaller than size of sticking tape and of leaves
examined.
2. Soak these paper pieces into 3% CoCl2 solution for two minutes and then dry the paper at
80oC in desiccator till dried. Notice the color of paper.
3. Clean and dry leaves with tissue paper (make sure that the leaf is completely dry)
4. Use forceps to take out the dried piece and place it on a sticking tape.
5. Quickly and tightly apply this tape onto a leaf to ensure that no moisture from the air can
enter to the paper.
6. Check the color of paper frequently and notice the time needed for this color change,
compare the results from different kinds of leaves, if possible.

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 Practical 4: ENZYMES

PRE-LABS

1. What is a catalyst and a catalysis reaction?

2. Compare the basic difference between chemical catalysts and biological catalysts.
3. What are enzymes? Describe their basic four properties?
4. How many types of enzyme are there? List them and give at least 1 example.
5. Define the term “optimal temperature” of an enzyme.
6. What makes biological catalysts specific? Define the “active site” of the enzyme and the
“substrate”

AIMS OF THE PRACTICAL

Familiarize students with the enzyme properties in reactions and understand the effect of
temperature on activity of enzyme.

1. AMYLASE

Amylases belong to the hydrolase group enzyme. They all act on α-glycosidic bonds of starch.
The actions of amylases on these linkages result in the formation of glucans and glucoses. Amylases
are found mostly in animal saliva, pancreas, intestine…, and in sprouting seeds.
There are three types of amylase:
 α-amylase acts on 1,4-α-D-glucan-glucan glycoside
 β-amylase acts on 1,4-α-D-glucan-malto glycoside linkage
 γ-amylase acts on glucan 1,4-α-glucoside and glucan 1-6-α- glycoside linkages
Like other enzymes, amylases are heat sensitive (affected by heat). The change of reaction
temperature causes its change of activities.
Materials and Equipments
 Green been sprout
 Test tubes and rack
 Starch suspension
 Mortar and pestle
 Lugol solution
 Filter paper
 Pasteur pipettes
 Two waterbaths
Procedure
1. Select 40-60 green bean sprouts, put all into the mortar, add 20ml of water and grind till
homogenous. Filter this suspension and collect the aqueous phase (enzyme - amylase suspension).

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 2. Prepare 8 test tubes and mark them as indicated below:
Temperature 4oC RT 50oC 100oC
Marked tubes
4-S 4-E RT-S RT-E 50-S 50-E 100-S 100-E

3. Add into each tube with “E” 2ml amylase suspensions prepared from green bean sprouts and
place tubes with “4” label in ice, “50” in warm water, “100” in boiled water and “RT” at room
temperature for 5 minutes. *cover the “100” test tubes to prevent the evaporation.
4. Then, add into all test tubes 4 ml of starch suspension. Continue to keep all reactions for 10
minutes in the same condition.
5. After the time indicated, take tubes out, add 1-2 drops of Lugol solution into each tube and
2ml of water into each “S” tube. Mix well.
6. Observe the color of these tubes.

2. PROTEASE

Proteases (proteinases, peptidases, or proteolytic enzymes) are enzymes that break peptide
bonds between amino acids of proteins. The process is called peptide cleavage. The enzymes use a
molecule of water for this and are thus classified as hydrolases.
The mechanism used to cleave a peptide bond involves making an amino acid residue that has
the character of a polarized peptide bond (serine, cysteine and threonine peptidases) or a water
molecule (aspartic acid, metallo- and glutamic acid peptidases) nucleophilic so that it can attack the
peptide carbonyl group. One way to make a nucleophile is by a catalytic triad, where a histidine
residue is used to activate serine, cysteine or threonine as a nucleophile.
Proteases occur naturally in all organisms and constitute 1-5% of the gene content. These
enzymes are involved in a multitude of physiological reactions from simple digestion of food proteins
to highly regulated cascades (e.g., the blood clotting cascade, the complement system, apoptosis
pathways, and the invertebrate prophenol oxidase activating cascade). Peptidases can break either
specific peptide bonds (limited proteolysis), depending on the amino acid sequence of a protein, or
break down a complete peptide to amino acids (unlimited proteolysis).
Materials and Equipments
 One fruit of pineapple
 Pasteur pipettes
 Boiled white egg
 Test tubes & rack
 Toluene solution
 Waterbath
 Mortar and pestle
 Filter paper
Procedure
1. Take one eight of the pineapple fruit, peel off the cover, and cut into small pieces.
2. Put pineapple pieces into mortar, add 15 ml water and grind till homogenous.

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 3. Filter this mixture and collect the aqueous phase (enzyme - protease extraction).
4. Prepare two test tubes and put into each tube 5 ml enzyme extract
5. Label these 2 tubes: one tube (marked 100) is then put in boiling water for 15 minutes, the
other (marked RT) left at room temperature.
6. Bring two tubes to room temperature; add into each tube the small piece of boiled white egg.
7. Cover tubes, shake lightly and then incubate these tubes at room temperature.
8. After 2 days, pour out the liquid and compare 2 pieces of boiled egg on a petri dish. Observe
results. When finishing, make sure you clean up petri dish and your test tubes.

3. CATALASE

Enzyme catalases, an anti-oxidant enzyme, are produced naturally in plants, animal and
microbial cells. This enzyme functions to convert peroxide into less toxic substances.
The catalase belongs to the group of oxidoreductase. The enzyme can be monitored by its ability
to convert hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen (O2) and water (H2O). When the body is infected
with high level of hydrogen peroxide, the catalase stored in peroxisome (in plant cell) or mitochondria
(in animal cell) will be activated and contribute in the process to convert this toxic compound to
oxygen and water. Thus the enzymes play an important role in the cell by mean of its detoxication
ability.
Like other enzymes, catalase is also heat inactivated. When enzyme loses activity, the production
of oxygen and water is decreased. Potato is known to be the abundant source of catalase.
Materials and Equipments
 Potato
 Pateur pipettes
 Distilled water
 Beakers
 H2O2 solution (20%)
 Test tubes & rack
 Blender
 Waterbath
Procedure
1. Put 100 g potato and 250 ml water into blender. Blend this mixture until smooth. Filter this
suspension and collect the aqueous phase (this is enzyme - catalase suspension).
2. Prepare 4 test tubes. Mark these tubes as followings:
Temperature 4oC RT 50oC 100oC
Marked tubes 4 RT 50 100
3. Add 5ml of enzyme suspension to each test tube, and mark a line at 5cm above the solution
surface. Then bring these tubes to the indicated temperatures, and incubate for 5 minutes.
4. After get tubes out, add 5 drops of hydrogen peroxide into each tube; observe what happens
in each tube. Note down the time needed in each tube for the column of oxygen bubbles forming and
reaching to the marked line.

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 Practical 5: CELL DIVISIONS: MITOSIS & MEIOSIS

PRE-LABS

1. Compare the basic differences between mitosis and meiosis.

2. If an organism has a diploid number of 16 (2n=16), how many chromatids are visible at the
end of mitotic prophase? How many chromosomes are moving to each pole during anaphase of
mitosis?
3. Why are mitosis and meiosis important for organisms?
4. Discribe how to use the microscope properly.

AIMS OF THE PRACTICAL

Provide students the basic information and events happen during the division of the cell.
Students will take chance to observe the chromosomes at different stages of division using microscope.

We know that the cell cycle occurs with the cooperation of number of events that involve in the
contribution of all the cell composition. The cell division is needed for growth, replacement of cells
that are lost by wear and tear or by programmed cell death; or to produce the elements for the sexual
reproduction. Mitosis and meiosis are two processes of cell division that are different in nature and
purpose.

1. MITOSIS

Mitosis produces two daughter cells that are identical to the parent cell. If the parent cell is
haploid (N), then the daughter cells will be haploid. If the parent cell is diploid, the daughter cells will
also be diploid. This type of cell division allows multicellular organisms to grow and repair damaged
tissue.
Events happen in mitosis process can be divided into different phases as summarized below:
Interphase (G1 and G2): Chromosomes (Chromatin) are not visible because they are uncoiled.

1
 Prophase: The chromosomes coil and condense. The
nuclear membrane disintegrates and the spindle apparatus forms.
At this phase, each chromosome, which is in duplicated form,
attaches to the spindle via kinetochore. If you squash the cell and
view under microscope, it is possible to see chromosomes and

count them. For example, 46 chromosomes can be seen in a

normal human cell sample. This phase may take over one hour.

Metaphase: The chromosomes are mostly condensed and

become aligned in to one row at the equatorial plate of the
spindle. This phase lasts for approximately 15 minutes.

Anaphase: The sister chromatids of each duplicated

chromosome separate and are pulled apart towards opposite
poles of the spindle, due to the assistance of the spindle fibers.
At this phase, the total number of chromosomes present in the
cell has become doubled. This stage only takes place within 10
minutes or so.

Telophase:. The chromosomes relax again. The spindle

apparatus breaks down; the nuclear membrane reappears
surrounding each group of separated chromosomes and the cell
divides into two cells via a process called cytokinesis. Now each
daughter cell possesses a chromosome set identical to each other
and also to the parent cells.

2. MEIOSIS

Meiosis produces daughter cells (haploid) which have a half of the number of chromosomes
present in their parent cell (diploid). This process leads to the reduction in the number of identical
chromosomes from two into one. As a result, each daughter cell produced by meiosis still possesses a
single full set of chromosome. 2N  N
Meiosis enables organisms to reproduce sexually because the fusion of two haploid gametes
(sperm and eggs) via fertilization process restores the diploidy in the zygote.

2
 Meiosis includes two rounds of division, called Meiosis I and Meiosis II. Each round also goes
through phases which are named similarly in mitosis process. Number I or II appearing along the name
of a division phase can help you to recognize whether that phase belongs to Meiosis I or II:
Meiosis I: prophase I, metaphase I, anaphase I, and telophase I;
Meiosis II: prophase II, metaphase II, anaphase II, and telophase II.
The first meiotic division involves the separation of identical chromosomes, which have been in
duplicated form, into two daughter cells.
The second meiotic division involves the separation of sister chromatids and each daughter cell
is further divided into two cells. At the end of the meiosis, therefore, four haploid daughter cells will
be produced.
Events happen in each phase are summarized below:
 Prophase I: The chromosomes coil up and appear as duplicated chromosomes. The nuclear
membrane begins to disintegrate and the spindle forms. Crossing over between homologous
chromosomes can take place during this phase.
 Metaphase I: Bivalents of homologous chromosomes (tetrads) become aligned in the center
of the cell and are attached to spindle fibers.
 Anaphase I: begins when homologous chromosomes separate, whereby chromosomes
of each identical pair will move towards different poles of the spindle.
 Telophase I: The nuclear envelope reforms and nucleoli reappears. This stage is absent in
some species.
 Interkinesis: Interkinesis is similar to interphase except DNA synthesis does not occur.
 Prophase II: The duplicated chromosomes recondense. Nuclear membrane disintegrates
again while formation of spindle is seen in each daughter cell.
 Metaphase II: The duplicated chromosomes line up into one row at the equatorial plate of
each spindle.
 Anaphase II: Sister chromatids start to separate towards opposite poles of the spindle.
 Telophase II: Nuclear envelope reforms around each single set of chromosome at each cell
pole. Cell is further divided and finally four daughter cells are produced. The chromosomes return to
relax.

2
2
 Practical 6: EXAMINATION: SKILLS & WRITING

This is the last session of the Practical Class in Biology. You will have a 15-minute examination,
which focuses on both laboratory skills gained through microscopic usage and practical knowledge
obtained through question answering. Each part will take 50% of your examination score.
You must carefully review all microscopic practical sessions, introduction, all prelab questions
and laboratory safety before attending the examination. Hence, you can be confident during the
examination.
Good luck!

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 GUIDELINE FOR THE LABWORK REPORT

1. LAB REPORT PRESENTATION

- On the front page of the report, state:

• Course name (and course’s ID)
• Instructor
• Group number
• Group member (name and ID)
• Experiment number and title (optional)
• Date of submission
- Lab reports should be typed. Print on both 2 sides of a paper.
- Page number.
- Lab reports should consist all of data presentation, data analysis and possibly questions.
The information should be presented exactly as requested.

2. GUIDELINE FOR REPORT

REPORT 1
I/ PLANT CELLS AND ANIMAL CELLS OBSERVATION
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Identify cellular membrane, nucleus and cytoplasm.

Name of sample Name of sample

Observed at objective lense? Observed at objective
lense?
4/- Discussion:
a) What is the function of Lugol solution in these experiments?
b) What is the difference between plant cells and animal cells?
2
 II/ OSMOSIS IN PLANT CELLS
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Describe the purple area (size and level of color) of each sample.

0.85% NaCl Water 5% NaCl

4/- Discussion:
a) Explain the phenomenon.
b) When putting plant cells in concentrated NaCl, plasmolysis happened. When putting animal
cells in water, hemolysis occurred. What makes the phenomenon in plant cells different from in
animal cells?

REPORT 2

I/ CARBOHYDRATES:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results:
a) Microscopic observation: identify observed objective
lense and starch granules

2
 b) Effect of temperature to the structure of starch: observe the change of color intensity
Color of spot

Lugol

Starch only

0 min

2 min

4 min

Starch – HCl mixture 6 min

8 min

10 min

? min No color change

4/- Discussion:
a) Explain the phenomenon when adding Lugol solution to potato starch granules?
b) Explain the different color in Starch – HCl mixture after time of boiling. Based on the color of
spot, why can we say that the structure of starch is affected by temperature?

II/ PROTEINS:.
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: observe the change of color

Color Observation
Protein solutions Original Color After 10% NaOH After 0.5% CuSO4
1. Egg albumin

2. Fresh cow milk

4/- Discussion:
a)
Explain the function of 10% NaOH and 0.5% CuSO4 in Biuret reaction?
b)
After adding 10% NaOH, the phenomenon in egg white is different from in cow milk, why?
c)
Why is the color intensity in egg white different from in cow milk?

2
 II/ LIPIDS:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: identify observed objective lense and stained lipid in cells

4/- Discussion:
a) Why is Soudan 3 used to detect lipid?
b) Why do we have to wash the stained sample with 20% Ethanol before observation under
microscope?

REPORT 3
I/ PHOTOSYNTHESIS:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results:
a) Examination of Oxygen formation: Observe the level of water in the test tube

Duration (days) Level of water

(mm) 0

12

14

2
 b) Examination of Starch formation: Observe the color of 2 areas after staining with Lugol

Color Observation

After 1-week
Leave sample Original Color After Boiling After Lugol
Covering

Uncovered part

Covered part

4/- Discussion:
a) Explain the phenomenon in lowering level of water in experiment 1.
b) What will happen if we get the burned match to meet the O2, CO2, H2?
c) Explain why the color of 2 areas (covered and uncovered) is different.

II/ TRANSPIRATION:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Notice the time and observe the change of color of the paper

Color Observation

Original color

Absorbent paper After 3%

CoCl2 After

drying

0 min

5 min

Duration after 10 min

applying on 15 min
leaf
20 min

30 min

4/- Discussion:
Different trees will have different level of water-out through transpiration. Based on the
character(s) of the leaf, we can tell the level high or low. What is that character(s)? Explain

2
your answer.

2
 REPORT 4
I/ AMYLASE:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Report the observed color in different test tubes after adding Lugol solution

Temp. Color Observation

Marked
(oC)
Tubes Before Lugol After Lugol

4-S
4
4-E

RT-S
RT
RT-E

50-S
50
50-E

100-S
100
100-E

4/- Discussion:
a) Compare “S” with “E” tubes in each condition and explain the phenomenon.
b) Compare all “S” tubes in all conditions and all “E” tubes in all condition. Explain the
phenomenon.
c) What is the optimal range of temperature for amylase activity.

II/ PROTEASE:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Report the observation of egg pieces’ shape after 2 days

Temp. (0C) At the beginning After 2 days

RT

100

3
4/- Discussion:
a) Do 2 pieces of egg have different shape after 2 days of incubation? Explain.
b) What is the optimal range of temperature for protease activity.

III/ CATALASE:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Report the time for gas column reach the 5-cm line

Temp. (0C) Time Recorded (seconds)

RT

50

100

4/- Discussion:
a) Why is there different in time when bubbles columns reach the 5-cm line between different
conditions?
b) What is the optimal range of temperature for catalase activity.

REPORT 5
I/ MITOSIS:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Report or draw different phases of Mitosis

Phases of Mitosis Drawings/ Picturing

Interphase

Prophase

3
 Metaphase

Anaphase

Telophase

II/ MEIOSIS:
1/- Introduction: Should be short and general, max 250 words.
2/- Procedure: What did you do? Max 250 words.
3/- Results: Report or draw different phases of Mitosis

Phases of Meiosis Drawings/ Picturing

Interphase

Prophase I

Metaphase I

Anaphase I

Telophase I

Prophase II

Metaphase II

Anaphase II

Telophase II