Question

part 1 procedure:

1. put a drop of methylene blue on a slide. caution: it will stain clothes and skin.
2. gently scrape the inside of your cheek with the flat side of a toothpick. scrape lightly.
3. stir the end of the toothpick in the stain and throw the toothpick away.
4. place a coverslip onto the slide.
5. use the low - power objective first and use the coarse adjustment knob to bring the slide into focus. the cells will appear very tiny at this magnification. (draw)
6. switch to medium - power and use the coarse adjustment knob. cells should be visible. the cells will be small and look like nearly clear purplish blobs. if you are looking at something very dark purple, it is probably not a cell. (draw)
7. once you have located a cell, switch to high - power and focus using the fine adjustment knob. (remember, do not use the coarse adjustment knob at this point.) (draw)

to calculate the magnification, multiply the eyepiece (10x) times the objective magnification.
observations: sketch the field of view on the low and medium. sketch a single cell at high power and label the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane. draw your cells to scale (as they appear in view).
what type of epithelial cells make up cheek cells??

Explanation:

Cheek cells are composed of squamous epithelial cells. Squamous epithelial cells are flat and scale - like. In the context of the cheek, these cells form a protective layer. They are easily shed and can be collected (as in the procedure described with scraping the cheek). Their flat shape allows for a large surface area to volume ratio, which is beneficial for functions such as protection and a small degree of absorption (in the oral cavity).

Answer:

Squamous epithelial cells.