Biology 105 – Human Biology
/ Session:
Section:
Class Location:
Days / Time: Instructor: / Spring 2011
55244 4 Units
UVC1 St. Helena
F 9:00 AM – 3:50 PM
RIDDELL
Student ID#: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Student Name: Anyone Somebody / Team Name: CELL SPLITTERS
Team Members Names / Team Members ID#’s
Lab Assignment #: 1 / Date: 110121.1
Lab Title: Reproductive Histology

Purpose / Objective(s):

§  Observing and research the histology of the reproductive system. Especially gametogenesis.

Hypothesis:

§  NA

Materials / Subjects / Specimens:

§  Light microscope

§  Prepared slides featuring a cross-section of:

-  Ovary

-  Testis

-  Sperm

-  Other

.

Methods / Tools / Instrumentation / Procedures:

§  Slides depicting various specimens Observed using a light microscope using various magnifications 100, 400 and 1000 X

§  Estimated cell size using a standardized calculator

§  Example attached

§  Results were recorded as a visual and written description

§  See Table of Experiments

Results

§  See Table 1 and Graph 1

-  Comparison of cell sizes

Specimen / Cell Size (microns)
Blood
Cheek Cell
Follicle
Oocyte
Sperm

§  See Illustrations and pictures from web research for comparison.

-  Visual representation of human sperm and human oocyte.

-  Sperm heads vary in shape and size. Sperm tails also vary in size

Analysis / Discussion:

§  Cells are very small in size, for animals and in human specimen depending on the tissue

§  Can we estimate the number of cells we see through the microscope

Conclusions/Further Considerations:

Sperm are same size, very uniform. The sperm cell has a head, a middle piece and a tail. The head of a sperm has the nucleus that contains densely coiled chromatin fibers which is surrounded by an acrosome. The acrosome contains enzymes that are used when penetrating the egg of a female. The middle part of the body has a central filamentous core with spiraled mitochondria all around it. The mitochondria are used for ATP production. ATP is the energy used as the sperm travels towards the egg. The tail also known as “flagellum” is what propels the sperm.

Blood cells are tiny in size and it is very difficult to estimate the number of them we see using the microscope. However when we use the calculator we can find an estimate that is more revealing and informative then our own guess. Blood is a specialized connective tissue consisting of a liquid matrix, called plasma. There are fibers in blood and these are soluble proteins, visible only when the blood clots. Blood transports various substances, many of which are dissolved in the plasma.

Oocytes or eggs are quite large through the microscope, making our estimating job a little easier. When compared to the size of the sperm cells we can see how much larger the oocytes truly are. An oocyte is a female gametocyte or germ cell in reproduction. The formation of an oocyte is called oocytogenesis which is a part of oogenesis. This results in the formation of both primary oocytes prior to birth and secondary oocytes following it as a part of ovulation.

Cheek cells are different. They are highly specialized epithelial cells. Epithelial cells differ because they do not have a blood supply however, they do have nerve endings. Stratified epithelial tissue lines the cheek. The tissue in this part of the body is made of squamous cells. Since these cells occur in the inner lining of the cheek, they are also called cheek cells. Squamous cells are flat with a central slightly flattened nucleus.

Follicles are spherical structure in the ovary that produces a secondary oocyte and the hormones estrogen and progesterone. It is the basic unit in a female reproductive biology. They have a single oocyte, or egg. Each month, one of the ovaries releases a mature egg, known as an oocyte. A follicle is in the stage of a primary oocyte The nucleus of an oocyte is called a germinal vesicle.

1.  Graph 1: Size per Specimen in Micrometers (µm)

Page 1 of 3 Bio 105 Lab Report 1 Repro Histology Example 110110.1.doc