Why we use hcl in mitosis experiment in onion root tip?

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is used in the mitosis experiment on onion root tips to hydrolyze the pectin in the cell walls, making it easier to separate the cells for analysis. By softening the cell walls, HCl helps release the individual cells, allowing for better visualization of the chromosomes during different stages of mitosis. This process is crucial for accurately counting and identifying cells in various stages of the cell cycle, providing valuable data for studying cell division and growth.