Membranes perform many functions of the cell such as maintaining the transport of certain molecules or ions of organelles; separate the cell content from the external surroundings and arrange specific chemicals and reactions into specific organelles. Past experiments shows that by distracting the cellular structure, an assessment of this action on cell membrane can be done (Weigel 1983). In this experiment, various temperatures on the function of membrane of living beet cells (Beta Vulgaris) will be tested. Beet cells are red because they contain a pigment located in the central vacuole of the cell called betacyanin. These vacuole are enclosed by a membrane called the tonoplast which are located on the cytosol of the cell. There is also an additional membrane, the plasma membrane, surrounds the cell itself. If both of these two membranes are damaged the content in the v
acuole will leak out. In this case, betacyanin will produce a red color in the water in which the beet is immersed if the membranes are broken. Discs of beet roots will be placed in different temperatures, the amount of betacyanin that leaks from the cell will evaluate the amount of damage to the cell.
This is of an important experiment because it determines the vulnerability of the cell to adapt to changes in the environment. This will give us a better understanding of how the cellular structure functions.
Most plant cells live in an environment close to room temperature (about 20-25 degrees Celsius). Therefore the disruption of the cell membrane should be at its least at this temperature. As the temperature rises, more damage is done to the membrane causing betacyanin to leak out. Same results should be obtained with temperatures lower then room temperature. Th
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