On this slide, there are 21 cells in interphase, 4 in prophase
Prophase
Prophase, is a stage of mitosis in which the chromatin condenses into double rod-shaped structures called chromosomes in which the chromatin becomes visible. This process, called chromatin condensation, is involved with the condensin complex. Since the genetic material h…
How many onion root tip cells are in interphase?
On this slide, there are 21 cells in interphase, 4 in prophase, 2 in metaphase, and 1 in telophase. Subsequently, question is, what stage are most onion root tip cells in?
How many chromosomes are in an onion root cell?
For example, each human cell possesses 46 chromosomes, while each cell of an onion possesses 8 chromosomes. All cells must replicate their DNA when dividing. why are most of the onion root cells in interphase? Allium root tip Onions have larger chromosomes than most plants and stain dark.
How do you look at cells in an onion root?
In order to examine cells in the tip of an onion root, a thin slice of the root is placed onto a microscope slide and stained so the chromosomes will be visible. The cells you'll be looking at in this activity were photographed with a light microsope and then digitized so you can see them on the computer.
Why is the onion root tip a good site for mitosis?
The onion root is also a good place because this is the area where the plant is growing. Remember that when cells divide, each new cell needs an exact copy of the DNA in the parent cell. This is why mitosis is only visible in cells that are dividing, like the whitefish embryo and the onion root tip. What is the mitotic index of onion root tip?
How many cells does an onion tip have?
An onion root tip is observed and the whole onion root tip has 300 cells in total.
Do onion root tips have cells?
As mentioned, onion root tip cells divide rapidly as the roots elongate to absorb water and various minerals from the soil. For this reason, it's possible to identify different stages of cell division by mitosis based on chromosomal distribution.
How many cells are in each phase of mitosis in an onion root tip?
TotalNumber of cells50Percent Of cells100%Minutes In phase1440
How many cells are in cytokinesis in an onion root tip?
two separate cellsTelophase. During telophase, the chromosomes at either end of the cell cluster begin to cluster together, which facilitates the formation of a new nuclear membrane. This also is when cytokinesis occurs, leading to two separate cells.
How many cells in the onion root tip lab were in metaphase?
Let's count the number of cells in some onion root tips during each phase, and use this information to answer the question. On this slide, there are 21 cells in interphase, 4 in prophase, 2 in metaphase, and 1 in telophase.
What is mitosis in onion root tip?
Aim: Preparation and study of mitosis in onion root tips. Principle: Somatic growth in plants and animals takes place by the increase in the number of cells. A cell divides mitotically to form two daughter cells wherein the number of chromosomes remains the same (i.e., unchanged as in the mother cell.
What is the tip of an onion root called?
Allium root tip The cells pictured below are located in the apical meristem of the onion root. The apical meristem is an area of a plant where cell division takes place at a rapid rate.
How long does the cell cycle take in an onion root tip?
The cell cycle for onion root tips takes about 720 minutes (12 hours).
What stage are most onion root tip cells in?
The most onion root sells were in the interphase stage.
How big is an onion root cell?
In the diagram to the right, the average size of each cell is 0.25mm.
How many cells are in the anaphase?
Anaphase is the fourth phase of mitosis, the process that separates the duplicated genetic material carried in the nucleus of a parent cell into two identical daughter cells.
Why are so many cells in the onion root undergoing mitosis?
The gravity sensing signals in the root cap are unable to send proper orientation signals which inhibit growth in the cells that are distant from the root tip and root cap junction when kept in zero gravity. This leads to mitosis in greater number of cells and plants also produce secondary roots at a high rate.
How to see cells in onion root?
In order to examine cells in the tip of an onion root, a thin slice of the root is placed onto a microscope slide and stained so the chromosomes will be visible. The cells you'll be looking at in this activity were photographed with a light microsope and then digitized so you can see them on the computer.
Why are onion roots good for studying the cell cycle?
In plants, the roots continue to grow as they search for water and nutrients. These regions of growth are good for studying the cell cycle because at any given time, you can find cells that are undergoing mitosis.
Is onion root a continuous process?
Although slicing the onion root captures many cells in different phases of the cell cycle, keep in mind that the cell cycle is a continuous process.

Overview
Experiment
Requirements
- Uncut onions
- Clear glass or plastic jars
- Clean water
Procedure
- Pour clean water into the clean (and clear) glass/plastic jars - about three-quarters full.
- Carefully place the onion bulbs in the glass/plastic jars so that only the lower surface of the onion comes in contact with the water.
- In a case where the onions are too small, they can be supported using toothpick/splints.
- Let the onions rest on water for 3-4 days - only the lower surface (base from which roots eme…
- Pour clean water into the clean (and clear) glass/plastic jars - about three-quarters full.
- Carefully place the onion bulbs in the glass/plastic jars so that only the lower surface of the onion comes in contact with the water.
- In a case where the onions are too small, they can be supported using toothpick/splints.
- Let the onions rest on water for 3-4 days - only the lower surface (base from which roots emerge) should be in contact with water.
Under 10X Magnification
- Under 10X magnification, students will be able to observe several single layers of cells. Depending on how well the slide was prepared, the cells are spread out without any overlapping or with very little overlapping. *Generally, a row of cells (single layer) may consist of between 2 and 5 cells. The following is a diagrammatic representation of on...
Higher Magnification
- Under high magnification (100X-500X), it becomes possible to identify cells at different stages of mitosis. These include: Interphase While this is not necessarily one of the main stages of mitosis, cells in this state can easily be identified by their prominent nucleoli. Diagrammatic representation of an onion root tip cell during interphase: During interphase, also known as the resting stage, th…
Cytokinesis
- Cytokinesis refers to the process through which the cytoplasm separates as the cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Unlike animal cells, plant cells have a rigid cell wall that prevents the cell from easily pinching apart to form two identical daughter cells. For this reason, the process of cytokinesis is different in these cells (plant cells). During late telophase and early cytokinesis, ca…
References
- Cooper GM. (2000). The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition. Donald, B. and Richard, J. (2018). Cell Division. An Atlas of Comparative Vertebrate Histology. Lian, Y. and Chirop, M. (2016). Functional Cell Biology. Encyclopedia of Cell Biology. Lodish H, Berk A, and Zipursky SL, et al. (2000). Microtubule Dynamics and Motor Proteins during Mitosis: Molecular Cell Biology. 4th ed…