Human Cheek Cells Under the Microscope

Human Cheek Cells (Whole Mount), Homo sapiens

Human Cheek Cells (Whole Mount), prepared microscope slide

This is a smear of human cheek cells stained pink with eosin. It is a classic first look at animal cells, often compared with onion cells to show the difference between plant and animal cells.

This whole mount shows human cheek cells (Homo sapiens), scraped from the inside of the mouth and stained pink with eosin. The cells are thin and flat with many uneven sides, and some lie alone while others overlap in clumps. A small, darker nucleus sits near the middle of many cells. These cells come from the lining of the cheek, a layer that is always wearing away and being replaced. Because they are animal cells with no cell wall, they are a good match to compare with plant cells like onion skin.

Labeled human cheek cells under the microscope

Cheek cell: Flat cell with many uneven sides
Nucleus: Small dark body near the middle of the cell
Cell membrane: Thin outer edge, with no cell wall
Cytoplasm: Pink material filling the cell
Overlapping cells: Thin, flexible cells fold and pile up

What to look for

Cheek cells: Flat, irregular cells with many sides, spread out on the slide.
Nucleus: A small round to oval body near the center of each cell, appearing darker than the cytoplasm.
Cytoplasm: The pink-stained material filling most of each cell.
Cell membrane: The thin outer edge of each cell, with no cell wall.
Folds and clumps: Some cells may be folded or overlapping, since they are thin and flexible.

Questions and answers

What do cheek cells look like under a microscope?

Cheek cells are flat, irregular cells with a small round nucleus near the middle. They have no cell wall, so their edges are thin and they can fold or wrinkle.

What is the difference between cheek cells and onion cells?

Cheek cells are animal cells: they have no cell wall, no large central vacuole, and an irregular shape. Onion cells are plant cells, with a rigid cell wall, a boxy shape, and a big vacuole.

Compare it

Category: Histology and Tissue
Scan magnification: 20x
Stain: Eosin

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