3.15

Question 1

describe how to prepare and stain a root tip in order to observe the stages of mitosis?

Answer 1

1) cut the tip from a growing root. your root tip should be about 5 mm long.
2) place the root tip on a watch glass and add a few drops of hydrochloric acid.
3) add a few drops of stain so that the chromosomes become darker and so easier to see under a microscope. stain example toluidine blue, acetic orcein, schiffs reagent, feulgens reagent…
4) warm the watch glass by passing it slowly through a Bunsen burner flame.
5) place the root tip on a microscope slide and use a mounted needle to break it open and spread the cells out thinly.
6) add a few drops of stain and then place a cover slip over it.
7) squash the cover slip down gently
8) warm the slide again for a few seconds. this will intensify the stain.
9) now you can look at the stages of mitosis under a light microscope.