Fetal Pig Dissection
Abstract
In this lab, we were given the task to explore the insides and the outsides of a fetal pig to relate how each system works inside of the body and also how the pig systems are similar to a human’s. During this lab, I was given a fetal pig to dissect contrary to many popular debates surrounding the topic/issue of debate inside schools and in labs around the world. We focused on all systems of the body including the brain, heart, and digestive system. Many of these systems are closely related to our own and helped us explore anatomy as a whole.
Introduction
In this lab, dissected each part of a pig’s anatomy to discover how they all interconnected to one another. We explored the external anatomy, oral cavity, and the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, urogenital and nervous systems. Each mini-exploration was separated into different “labs” to form a larger lab. On day one, we just did basic observations of the pig through the plastic. Then on day two, we began the actual dissection, focusing on the oral cavity and the digestive system. On day three, we wrapped up the digestive system and began looking and dissecting the respiratory and the urogenital system. On the last day of the lab, we continued in the systems and dissected the brain and eyes to complete the nervous system.
Methods
First familiarize yourself with the different external parts of the pig (feet, eyes, mouth)
Now to look into the oral cavity, use scissors to cut open the mouth and examine the teeth, tongue, trachea and esophagus holes, and taste buds
Looking into the digestive system, cut through the the throat area all the way down to the diaphragm area
Here you will be able to examine the stomach, liver, bladder, small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, and spleen.
To access the thoracic cavity, you’ll have to cut through the sternum. Here you will find the heart, and various veins and arteries which make the circulatory system
Opening up the throat area completely, you’ll be able to examine the respiratory system
Here you will find the trachea tube, larynx, bronchi, bronchioles, and diaphragm
Going below the digestive system to the urogenital system, you will find the kidneys, ureter, bladder,cortex, medulla, and urethra
Now decapitate the skull from the rest of the body and use the bone saw to cut through the bone of the skull in order to find the nervous system
Here you will find the brain, cranium, meninges, cerebrum, and medulla oblongata
Results
[Fetal pigs inside of bag with the formaldehyde]
[heart]
[lateral dissection of pig]
[another angle of the lateral dissection]
[cross-section of heart]
[decapitation of pig]
[eyeball outside of cranium]
[intact cross-section of skull and brain]
[brain popped out of the cross-section]
[full cross-section]
[cornea out of eye]
Discussion
I chose to participate in the real fetal pig dissection because it was a new experience that definitely benefitted my learning of the actual systems and the pig as a whole. I think it’s important for many students to participate or even just watch the pig dissection because you learn practical techniques that need to be shown. It also opens up ideas to new potential job ideas for kids going into college.
Conclusion
Over the course of this project, I have learned how to identify many parts of the body and how they work within the body. For this specific project, I plan to take how I observed the muscles attached to the heart, lungs, bones, and other parts to our section on muscles.
Work Cited
Biology.uco.edu. (2015). Muscle Dissections. Retrieved from http://biology.uco.edu/animalbiology/pigweb/Muscles/Muscles.html.
Biologycorner.com. (2015). The Ultimate Pig Dissection Review. Retrieved from http://www.biologycorner.com/pig/review.html.
People.hsc.edu. (2015). Endocrine Anatomy. Retrieved from http://people.hsc.edu/faculty-staff/edevlin/edsweb01/endocrine_anatomy_and_histology.htm.
Wootton, K. (2015). Fetal Pig Dissection Lab. Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/echo_files/20110906/_1315319553_PigLab_Draft.pdf.
Wootton, K. (2015). Pig Brain Dissection. Retrieved from https://echo.newtechnetwork.org/?q=ntlp/courses/resource/view/297649431/342766836.