beet cells & stress
Anatomy Physiology 1
Report 1
April 6, 2014
Abstract
Uncharged molecules can diffuse across cell membranes while some substances
must be transported across the membrane by proteins. The membrane is in control of
what enters and leaves the cell. However, certain conditions may damage the cell
membrane’s structure. Beet cells, which are plant cells, have a water-soluble pigment
called betacyanin, which is stored in its vacuole. The tonoplast, or the vacuole’s
membrane, acts with the cell membrane of the cell to prevent the betacyanin from leaking
into the cytosol or out of the cell. This lab investigates the environmental possibilities
that can damage membranes. Hypertonic and hypotonic salt solutions place stress on cell
membranes, detergents make lipids more water-soluble and disrupt membranes, and
acidic and basic pH’s denature proteins and change the color of the betacyanin. The
spectrophotometer will record the absorbance of the betacyanin leakage. The more
betacyanin leakage the more the solution will absorb light. Membrane damage increases
as the solution gets treated with higher pH and salt concentrations. The experiment
supported our hypothesis since higher levels of pH and salt concentrations resulted in an
increased release of betacyanin.
Intro
Cell membranes are functionally important because they separate and organize
chemicals and reactions within cells by allowing selective passage of materials across
their boundaries. Cell membranes are selectively permeable. The cell membrane has a
phospholipid layer, with the polar, hydrophilic heads pointing out at the extracellular and
intracellular aqueous environment and the nonpolar, hydrophobic heads pointing inward,
protected from the water. Membranes surround
Report 1
April 6, 2014
Abstract
Uncharged molecules can diffuse across cell membranes while some substances
must be transported across the membrane by proteins. The membrane is in control of
what enters and leaves the cell. However, certain conditions may damage the cell
membrane’s structure. Beet cells, which are plant cells, have a water-soluble pigment
called betacyanin, which is stored in its vacuole. The tonoplast, or the vacuole’s
membrane, acts with the cell membrane of the cell to prevent the betacyanin from leaking
into the cytosol or out of the cell. This lab investigates the environmental possibilities
that can damage membranes. Hypertonic and hypotonic salt solutions place stress on cell
membranes, detergents make lipids more water-soluble and disrupt membranes, and
acidic and basic pH’s denature proteins and change the color of the betacyanin. The
spectrophotometer will record the absorbance of the betacyanin leakage. The more
betacyanin leakage the more the solution will absorb light. Membrane damage increases
as the solution gets treated with higher pH and salt concentrations. The experiment
supported our hypothesis since higher levels of pH and salt concentrations resulted in an
increased release of betacyanin.
Intro
Cell membranes are functionally important because they separate and organize
chemicals and reactions within cells by allowing selective passage of materials across
their boundaries. Cell membranes are selectively permeable. The cell membrane has a
phospholipid layer, with the polar, hydrophilic heads pointing out at the extracellular and
intracellular aqueous environment and the nonpolar, hydrophobic heads pointing inward,
protected from the water. Membranes surround
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