CELL EXPLORATION
NAME ________________________________
PERIOD _________ DATE ________________
Part I. Exploring Living Cells
A. To begin, look at the slides provided and draw the specimen under high power. Label the cell as
animal, plant, or prokaryote.
TITLE: Prokaryote
(Label cell membrane
and cytoplasm)
MAGNIFICATION __________
TITLE: Plant Cell
(Label cell membrane,
cell wall, cytoplasm, and
nucleus)
MAGNIFICATION __________
TITLE: Animal Cell
(Label cell membrane,
cytoplasm, and nucleus)
MAGNIFICATION __________
B. Using evidence from the cells you viewed, describe the characteristics, structures, or organelles
that differentiate the following cell types.
a) Prokaryote? ________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b) Eukaryote? __________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c) Animal cell? _________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
d) Plant cell? ___________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part II. Alien Application
You are a microbiologist sent on an expedition to study possible life on a newly discovered planet
XR9150. You have discovered a species of life. Upon initial investigation you conclude that it is
likely a unicellular organism. Cell structure is extremely important to the way a cell functions in its
environment. You isolate a single cell from this planet and using a microscope you make the
following discoveries.
Draw a conclusion about how each structure is important to the alien cell and give evidence
to support your statement. Incomplete sentences will result in a deduction of 5 points.
1. It contains more lysosomes than a typical cell found on Earth.
a) What is the function of lysosomes?
b) What does this indicate about the cell’s environment?
2. The cell has a flagellum.
a) What is the function of a flagellum?
b) What does this indicate about the environment?
3. The cell has organelles similar to chloroplasts but instead of being green, they are purple.
a) What is the function of a chloroplast?
b) What does this indicate about the cell’s environment?
4. The cell has organelles that hold large amounts of water.
a) What organelles found in earth cells is this most like?
b) What does this tell you about the environment?
5. Based on the organelles and structures you identified, what type of cell is this alien species?
Explain your reasoning.
6. Based on your answer to number 5, what other organelles would you expect to see?
7. Sketch a diagram of the cell (below) through a microscope including all the organelles
identified in #1-4 and #6. Label EACH structure.
8. Describe the type of environment the cell lives in
based on your observations. Explain your reasoning.
9. Name the new species you discovered. Organisms are scientifically named based on
binomial nomenclature. It should consist of two identifiers, Genus species. (EX. The scientific
name for a black panther is Panthera onca.)