Protists are eukaryotes, usually single-celled, and have organelles such as a nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and golgi bodies. There are approximately 200,000 to 250,000 different species of known, living protists which are divided into three categories: animal-like, plant-like and fungi-like. Some protists are heterotrophs (receive nourishment from outside sources) and some are autotrophs (manufacture their nutrients internally). For heterotroph protists to proliferate in a laboratory setting, create a nutrient-rich environment through leaf infusion, which provides food for protists.
Things You'll Need
Filtered sea water
Distilled water (fresh)
Sterile receptacle for boiling water
Energy source (electric or gas - to boil water)
Water filter
Cereal leaf
Bicarbonate
Cystein (optional)
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Instructions
1
Filter one liter of seawater with a paper filter and dilute it by 10 percent with filtered, distilled fresh water in a sterile receptacle suitable for boiling water.
2
Radiolaria, or zooplankton, is found in the ocean and is an amoeboid protozoa and protist.
Boil cereal leaves obtained from a biological-chemical supplier in the 90% seawater solution for five minutes. The weight to volume ratio of the cereal leaves to water should be between 0.03 percent weight to volume and 0.1 percent weight to volume, as a general guide.
3
Foraminifera is part of a large group of amoeboid protists, usually less than 1 mm in size, which create a hard calcium carbonate shell.
Filter the leaf infusion with a fine paper filter and dilute the filtered liquid with sterile, filtered seawater at a ratio of one to one.
4
Buffer the leaf infusion with small amounts of bicarbonate, maintaining the pH at the proper level for the protist with which you are working. Bicarbonate will raise the pH level of the mixture. For seawater protists, a pH of about 10 is appropriate.
5
Add cystein, an amino acid, for additional nutrition in the leaf infusion.
