The lab report investigates the differentiation between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using light microscopy with a 40x objective. Through the observation of known samples and two unknown samples, the study aims to accurately classify the cell types. The results lead to conclusions about the cellular structures observed and their implications for biological research.

1. ABIO 121 Lab Report 3
Descriptive Title
C Nathan Hancock, Your names here
Introduction Identifying the types of cells present in a sample
can be important for the prevention and treatment of diseases,
biological engineering, and other biological research. One of
the tools that can be used for identifying cell types is light
microscopy. The first distinction that should be made when
identifying cells is whether they are prokaryotes or eukaryotes.
Prokaryotic cells are much smaller than eukaryotic cells and do
not contain membrane bound compartments such as the nucleus,
golgi, vacuole, mitochondria, or chloroplast. Eukaryotic cells
contain these membrane bound structures and are found in
organisms ranging from single celled fungus and protozoan to
plants and animals. Our goal was to determine if light
microscopy with a 40X objective can be used to differentiate
between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Our hypothesis was
that …………..To test this hypothesis, we observed a number of
known samples for reference and then attempted to characterize
two unknown samples. Based on our hypothesis, we predict that
we will correctly/incorrectly identify the unknowns as a
prokaryote or eukaryote.
Figure 2 Eukaryotic Cells
Images from Wikipedia showing Euglena (left) and Elodea
(right) cells.
Figure 1 Prokaryotic Cells
Images from Wikipedia of gram stained Lactobacilli from
yogurt (left) and unstained Anabaena (right).
Materials and Methods An Olympus CH-2 microscope with

2. 4X, 10X and 40X objectives was used for these experiments as
described in the Bio 121 Laboratory manual. The plain yogurt
was Great Value brand, the bread yeast was Fleischmann's
brand, the Spirulina was General Nutrition brand, and the other
biological materials (Anabaena, Elodea, Euglena, volvox and
Saccharomyces) were obtained from Carolina Biolabs.
Figure 3 Unknown Samples
Image of unknown A (left), unknown B (middle), and unknown
C (right)
Results As controls, we observed a number of organisms under
the light microscope. The first of these, Lactobacilli, is a
prokaryote found in yogurt cultures. At 40X magnification,
these bacteria looked like ……... (Figure 1). We also observed
the photosynthetic bacteria Anabaena. Under the microscope,
these cells looked like ……… (Figure 1).
We also observed two types of eukaryotic cell types under the
microscope. The first of these was the protozoan Euglena. We
observed ……. (Figure 2). The second eukaryote we observed
was Elodea, an aquatic plant. We observed ……. (Figure 2).
We attempted to identify two unknown cell types using light
microscopy (Figure 3). For the unknown A cells we observed
……… . For the unknown B cells we observed ……… .
Discussion The main differences we observed between the
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells were …….. We were able to
observe ……(discuss specific organelles)…..We were not able
to observe……(discuss specific organelles)…..This was/wasn’t
consistent with our expectations because ……
Based on our observations, we characterized unknown A cells as
Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic because………….. After making this
initial characterization, the cells were revealed to be

3. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as bread yeast.
……….(discuss here what you conclude or learned from this).
Based on our observations, we characterized unknown B cells as
Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic because………….. After making this
initial characterization, the cells were revealed to be volvox.
……….(discuss here what you conclude or learned from this).
Based on our observations, we characterized unknown C cells as
Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic because………….. After making this
initial characterization, the cells were revealed to be rotifers.
……….(discuss here what you conclude or learned from this).
Add the rest of the things that are needed for your discussion
here (conclusions, support hypothesis?, improve techniques,
recommendations to other scientists based on these results)