Ma Victoria Roco BIO211-01 Sheep Heart Dissection 2/20/14

Purpose The purpose of the sheep heart dissection was to review the structural characteristics and major features of the sheeps heart in order to grasp a better visual understanding of a humans heart. Materials Preserved sheep heart Dissecting pan Scalpel Probe Scissors Tweezers Glovers

Procedure 1. Put on gloves and observe safety procedures 2. Obtain the preserved sheep heart 3. Place the heart in a dissecting tray allowing the anterior surface to face upwards 4. Observe and Inspect the heart 5. Locate the parietal pericardium 6. Cut and remove the parietal pericardium 7. Locate the Visceral pericardium which is a thin, transparent later on the surface of the heart. 8. Use a scalpel to remove the visceral pericardium and expose the myocardium underneath

9. Identify the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle 10. Cut the heart in half to anterior and posterior sides of the heart 11. Inspect the two halves and differentiate between the left and right sides 12. Locate the tricuspid valve, chordae tendinae, and papillary muscles in the right side of heart 13. Locate the mitral valve, chordae tendinae, and papillary muscles of left side of heart. 14. Compare the thickness of the left ventricular wall with that of the right ventricular wall 15. Use the probe to locate the vessels and inspect where it goes 16. Place the heart back in the bin 17. Dispose of trash 18. Clean up the table, tray and tool.

Discussion In the beginning of the dissection I noticed an odd smell, recalling it as the same scent from the dissection of the fetal pig last semester in APII, it was unpleasant but bearable. The parietal pericardium was covering the entire heart and it was a little difficult to take off in order to expose the heart. After removing the parietal pericardium however, I was then able to locate the visceral pericardium and the myocardium underneath it. I then proceeded to cutting it in anterior and posterior sides. I was able to tell instantly between the right side and left side, due to the myocardium on the left side being thicker than the right. I was able to locate the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle, I saw that there were spaces on the left and right sides of the lower heart.

I immediately saw the bicuspid on the left valve, and the tricuspid on the right valve. I saw the thick structure dividing the two ventricles and was able to identify it as the interventricular septum. The dissection was successful and it helped reiterate what we previously learned through the lectures.

Conclusion Throughout the sheep heart lab, my group and I were able to identify important external structures of the sheep heart, major structures associated with a sheep heart cardiovascular and circulatory system. After we finished identifying the structures, we compared the functions of certain organs in a mammal with those of a human organ. We were able to conclude that the sheeps heart is similar to that of a humans heart.