Research Article Open Access

Staining of Onion and Buccal Epithelial Cells with Onion Skin Extract

Abstract

The aim of our study is to reveal the stainability of different parts of buccal epithelial cells as an animal cell model, and onion membrane as a plant cell model with extract prepared from onion skin by means of light microscope images. After a 20 gram amount of the skins of clean and fresh headed onions with orange-yellow outer skins is ground, it is taken with precision weighing. This is added to 100 ml of purified water, boiled for 30 minutes, and filtered. The filtrate is stored in the refrigerator at +4°C for use as a dye solution. Solvents with separate binary combinations from the dye solutions alone and various metal salts (Alum, FeSO4, CuSO4) were prepared. Membrane pieces in the onion and buccal epithelial preparations were put into each solution. The staining process is finalized by keeping the prepared materials at 50°C and 80°C in an incubator for 1 hour, and then at room temperature for 1 hour. The onion membrane pieces and buccal epithelial preparations were then removed from the dye solutions, and rinsed out with pure water. Some membranes were placed on the slides and then covered with coverslips. Preparations including the painted buccal epithelial and onion membrane cells were examined under a microscope. It was observed that different sides of both the buccal epithelial and onion membrane cells were positively dyed in different colors and tones in the visible parts at different temperatures and in various mordants with the onion skin extract. Thus, it was determined that the aqueous extract of onion skin has potential in staining biological preparations under the conditions that gave positive results in this study.

Nilgun Guler Kusculuo

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