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Name: Cathy
Status: Other
Grade:  Other
Location: MN
Country: United States
Date: February 2009
Question:
I set up the labs for our high school science dept. When studying cell diversity, students observe yeast cells on slides and must answer the question, "how do yeast cells move?" The teachers are evenly split between the answers of "they don't" and "we've never seen them move". 1. If yeast cells mate, don't they need to have some motility? 2. How should I prepare a yeast solution so the students would have the most success of seeing this process?


Replies:
Yeast cells don't have to be motile to contact each other. They move passively by means of "currents" in the water caused by temperature differences and random thermal motion (diffusion).

Ron Baker, Ph.D.


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