6,1 TO STUDY MITOSIS IN ONION ROOT TIPS CELLS FROM PERMANENT SLIDes

The root tip contains meristematic tissue cells. In meristematic tissue, cells are continuously underg .
H . . 01ng in·
ence, 1t 1s easy to study mitosis by using cells from root tip. Itosis

Aim
To study mitosis in root tip cells of onion.

Materials Required
• Onion root tips • Needles • Brush
• Slide • Acetocarmine • Hydrochloric acid
• Permanent slides of onion root tip cells; showing mitosis can also be used for thi s experiment.
Observations
Different phases during Mitosis:
• Resting Phase: Nucleus is clearly visible. Other cell organelles are also visible.
• Interphaae: The interphase involves synthesis of materials which are required during cell division. DNA
replication happens in this stage.
• M phue or Mitotic Phase: This phase is the phase when actual cell division takes place. This involves following
four sta111:
Propha1e
• Propbase ked by ~ e initiation of condensation of chromosomal material. The chromosomal material
becomes untangled during the process of chromatin condensation.

PRACTICAL SKILLS IN BIOLoov-1~

 ic
micro scope, do not show golgi complexes, endoplasm
cells at the end of prophase, when viewed under the
, . 110111 nucleolus and the nuclear envelope ·
retJCl '

Microscopic view of Prophase stage

Metaphase
osomes coming to lie at the equator.
, The metaphase is characterised by all the chrom
its sister
by its kinetochore to spindle fibres from one pole and
, One chromatid of each chromosome is connected
fibres from the opposite pole.
chromatid is connected by its kinetochore to spindle
phase is referred to as the metaphase plate.
, The plane of alignment of the chromosomes at meta

Microscopic view of Metaphase stage

Anaphase s
at the metaphase plate is split simultaneously and make
• At the onset of anaphase, each chromosome arranged
the two daughter chromatids.
• th · nu·- ttan.,. towa
rds the two opposite poles.
1 ....._, now LI.JI-C'gm ear
, ,-.1 _.....

:: ~=~-=-=:::..==:::\- 169------..
 l plolc, rh c ccrilro mcrc of each chrorn
• As each chrorn 0somc mm cs Awn y• from the cq11otorrn. .. . oson,c 1.
s to~nri
nnn ~ nl Ill e cll ro 111mn t11c lrn tlin g bchrnd .
p0 lc nnd hence nl the lcfldm j,1 Nl!lr. "1th the \ ' lht

Microscopic view of Anaphase stage

Telophase
identity is lost as discrete elements.
• Chromosomes cluster at opposite spindle poles and their
rs.
• Nuclear envelope assembles around the chromosome cluste
• Nucleolus, Golgi complex and ER reform.

Microscopic view of Telophase stage

~
C~~~b w
.st . lateralresents
and grows outward to meet the exi mg
In plant cells, wall formation starts in the centre of the cell th
of a simple precursor, called the cell-plate at rep
The formation of the new cell wall begins with the formation !ops and
the middle lamella between the walls of two adjacent cells.
late does not happen. Plasma membrane deve
Since cell wall is absent in animal cells, so formation of cell-p
separates two daughter cells. y.11
BtOLOG
PRACTICAL $KILLS IN
170
 two daughter
t· tinll' ot••c), oplosmic divisio
1 n. organelles like mitochondria and plastids get distrib uted hetwee n the
1\I (h
,.r11~.

. Cell wall

z 1+-- -

~ H -- -
Cell membrane
Cytoplasm
•'\.J..,...;..,.;.,l:::.i.~..-'.--:\H - - Nuclear membrane
·; Cell wall ~ l,.L.-H-- - Chromatin
If+- - Cell membrane thread
~,.__H --t--- Chromatin granules
, Nucleolus - - -- - Nucleolus

0i?tZJ~~;iJ. i: ;5:;)j \'.' '}?iit

Resting cell
lnterphase stage

Degenerating Spindle fibers

nuclear membrane

- ~~ - - - Degenerating
nucleolus

Chromosomes
(under formation)

Prophase stage
Metaphase stage

Daughter
chromosome

Spindle fibers

An1ph111 atage
Telophase and Cytokinesis stage
Different stages of mitosis

P~ACllCAL S~1LLS tN B101oc v 11

4i Precautions \
• Root tips should be taken during early morning as that is the time for maximum mitotic activity.
• Filter acetocarmine before use.
• Warm the slide gently.
• Ensure that no air bubble should be left below the cover slip.