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Have questions?
Contact the C-Fern Project
cfern@utk.edu
 Supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation - Division of Undergraduate Education
Development of C-Fern is supported
by the National Science Foundation (NSF-DUE)
Copyright © 1997-2000
Thomas R. Warne and
Leslie G. Hickok.
All rights reserved.
 C-Fern Educational Kits

Chemical Attraction - C-Fern Sperm Chemotaxis Accessory Kit

 
Now Available
Chemical Attraction: C-Fern Sperm Chemotaxis Lab

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Word 97 doc format: Instructor and Student Versions
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C-Fern Educational Materials are available from Carolina Biological Supply Company. For information please contact Carolina Biological at http://www.carolina.com or
call: 800-334-5551
fax 800-222-7112.
 
C-Fern Educational Kits

An amazing experiment that tests the ability of sperm to detect and swim to a chemical signal (positive chemotaxis). Using sperm from 12 – 18 day-old C-Fern gametophyte cultures, students document the responses to a series of test solutions, including pairs of isomers that elicit distinctly different responses. Instructions are also included to demonstrate the activity of the natural chemoattractant that allows sperm to locate receptive archegonia and eggs. All manipulations and observations can be made using a stereomicroscope at 12X or higher and transmitted (bottom) illumination. This is an accessory Kit that can be used with all other C-Fern Kits or with any separately established C-Fern cultures. For separate cultures, the new him1 (highly male) strain is recommended. Includes materials for 6 groups of students. Experiment time is 0.5 – 1 hr., not including culture time.