GCSE Biology under the microscope

Eldmire have recently been studying cell division in Biology and during the practical sessions they have been trying to look for dividing cells under the microscope. Mr Sigsworth has been very patiently growing garlic roots for the pupils to make root tip squashes from. It is quite a tricky process to get the cells to stain correctly but sometimes if you are very lucky you can catch some cells at various stages of mitosis when the chromosomes in the cell nucleus thicken and are then pulled to opposite ends of the cell ready for the cell to split in half. The students patience and perseverance paid off as they managed to capture (with an iphone down the eyepiece!) images of the process.