Osmosis in animal cell practical

You continue with the animal cell practical. You need to prepare microscope slides of red blood cells in distilled water (hypotonic), isotonic (0.9% NaCl) and hypertonic (6% NaCl) solutions. 

You are provided with the following to begin preparing your samples:

1. Three plastic pipettes

2. Three Eppendorf plastic tubes

3. Sterile single use lancing device

4. Compound microscope

5. Microscope lens cleaning supplies (lens paper, lens cleaner)

6. Microscope slides and coverslips

7. Tweezers

8. Marker

Use the three solutions as before: distilled water, 0.9% NaCl, 6% NaCl

You follow the steps below:

1. Prepare three clean Eppendorf plastic tubes with a lid. Label them with distilled water, 0.9% NaCl and 6% NaCl respectively using a marker. Add 1 ml of each solution respectively. 

2. Obtain a drop of blood from your thump using aseptic techniques and the sterile single use lancing device for each of the three tubes. 

3. Use three glass slides, slide 4 for distilled water, slide 5 for 0.9% NaCl and slide 6 for 6% NaCl. Label the glass slides accordingly. Add a drop from each of the Eppendorf tubes on each allocated slide respectively. Cover with coverslip, making sure that you do not leave blood samples for a long time as it will cause clotting.

2. Examine all three slides separately under the light microscope starting at lower magnification and focus. Move to higher magnification and focus on one cell. Identify the shape and the plasma membrane (if visible).