Session 2 - Artificial Selection in Brassica rapa (2/4); Microscopy and Mitosis Flashcards

1
Q

What should be distinguished from the first true leaves of the plant?

A

The cotyledons (“seed leaves”)–these are more square, two lobed and rather thick.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the petiole?

A

The petiole is the stalk connecting the leaf to the stem. It begins at the junction to the main stem–the junction often has a slight ridge and is brown/red-ish in color. It ends at the point (at the leaf end) at which the first leaf vein intersects it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What happens in pollination?

A

Pollen from the anther of a flower is tranferred to the sigma of another (cross-pollination) (normally done by bees)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How did we cross-pollinate the flowers?

A

By using bee sticks (made from glued bee thorax + toothpick). The thorax is the body segment to which the wings are attached. Remove head, abdomen and legs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

In the microscope, what illuminates the object being studied?

A

lamp

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What does the lamp have integrated in it?

A

an (integral) filter holder that accomodates standard microscopic filters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is used to limit the amount of light entering the condenser?

A

field diaphragm ring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What does the condenser do?

A

It focuses light onto a small area in the plane of the specimen by means of the condenser focus knob.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why would the aperture selector be rotated?

A

To choose between different apertures appropriate for bright-field, phase-contrast, dark-field microscopy.

For the purposes of the experiment it should be set to “O” for bright-field microscopy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the aperture diaphragm adjustment and what should it not be used for?

A

It controls the amount of light entering the objective lens under the bright-field illumination; it should not be used to control the brightness of the field. Too much light will decrease contrast, too little will decrease resolving power.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does the stage do?

A

It holds the slide (specimen) in place under the objectives. It has a Vernier scale to allow you to retrieve the location of an interesting object.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Slides are clipped into what that rests on the stage?

A

specimen holder

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Where and what do the stage manipulation controls do?

A

They are located beneath the right-rear corner of the stage. They are two knobs that are rotated to move the specimen left/right, back/forward on the stage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are concentrically arranged and used for focusing the specimen?

A

The coarse and fine focus knobs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What actually magnifies and focuses an image of the specimen?

A

The objective and ocular lenses; the objectives are located on a revolving nosepiece with click-stop centering positions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How do you customize the microscope for your own pupil-to-pupil distance?

A

Use the interpupillary distance adjustment

17
Q

What can be adjusted on the ocular lenses to ensure that the images reaching both eyes are properly focused?

A

diopter ring

18
Q

What shaped cells (in the onion) should one be looking for, for mitotic activity?

A

Look for short square cells; elongated cells will not be dividing.

19
Q

What were the onion roots soaked in before staining?

A

A vial of 18% HCl for 4 minutes, then a vial of Carnoy fluid for 4 minutes

20
Q

What part of the onion root was stained, and what was it stained with?

A

The root tip; the stains used were fuchsin and toluidine. After staining, the tips were rinsed by adding and blotting away a drop of distilled water with a Kimwipe. Then cover the root tip with a drop of water and place the coverslip onto it

21
Q

What is the purpose of the soaking in HCl and Carnoy fluid?

A

HCl makes the cell permeable and Carnoy fluid fixates the cells in their stage

22
Q

How does gamma radiation affect DNA?

A

It breaks the phosphodiester linkages in the DNA (effectively breaking the strand in some cases); spindle fibers would then be less able to attach to centromeres and uneven distribution of chromosomes would occur. Cell death is even possible.

23
Q

How does colchicine affect the cell?

A

It inhibits spindle fiber formation, effectively arresting the cell in prophase (preventing it from progressing into metaphase)

24
Q

What part of the onion root tip should be observed?

A

The zone of cell DIVISION–not the zone of cell differentiation or the zone of elongation