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Ella Culton

Laura Haggerty

Biology

11 June 2018

Pig Dissection Lab

Problem Statement:​ The objective of this experiment is to compare the physiological anatomy

of pigs and humans by gathering research on human anatomy and participating in a fetal pig

dissection. Through this dissection we hope to learn more about the similarities and differences

between different species to gain a better understanding of our scientific place in the world as

humans.

Hypothesis:​ If we dissect a fetal pig, then we will see more than 3 similar organs in function, but

with distinct differences because while pigs and humans are biologically similar, they have

changed over evolutionary time to have organs that best benefit their function.

Materials List:​ 1) 1 Fetal Pig

2) 1 Wax-Lined Tray

3) 1 Blunt Probe

4) 1 pair of Scissors

5) Set of T Pins

6) 2 pieces of String

7) 1 Apron

8) 1 pair of Tweezers

9) 1 Scalpel
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Procedure Steps:​ 1) Find a lab partner.

2) Gather dissection tray and dissection tools.

3) Place specimen on dissection tray.

4) Use two pieces of string to tie back the legs of the specimen.

5) Make the first incision on the throat on the ventral side of the specimen.

6) Make a second incision along the abdominal cavity with careful medium

pressure as to not damage the organs underneath the skin.

7) Make a third incision above the umbilical cord and hind legs.

8) Pull back the flaps of the skin of the abdominal cavity with T pins.

9) Begin to observe the digestive system of the abdominal cavity, taking note

the organs you plan to compare. If time allows, remove these organs from the

body.

10) Observe the circulatory and respiratory systems, taking note of the organs

you plan to compare.

11) If time allows, continue to explore other anatomical features of the fetal

pig, recording notes in the “Observations” section of the lab report.

Variables:

Independent Variable:​ examination and dissection of the fetal pig

Dependent Variable:​ number of anatomical features that are similar between fetal pigs

and humans

Data Table:

Organ Similarities Differences


Heart 4 atriums and 4 ventricles
Similar function for blood
flow
Both have a hemiazygos vein
Thicker left ventricular wall
than right ventricular wall
Liver Lobe structure
Location in the abdominal
cavity (above the intestines
and stomach)
Lungs Multilobed lungs
Similar location
Pleural Membrane
Intestines (small and large) Small intestine is basically
the same in pigs and humans.
- Duodenum, jejunum,
ileum regions
- Function is the same
Kidney Bean shaped
Function of excretion of
waste products
Renal Pyramids
Outer Cortex, Medulla, and
Renal Pelvis regions
Supporting Images:
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Location in the body (heart is
higher up and in the center of
the pig abdominal cavity)
Left cardinal vein is
significantly larger in the fetal
pig than in the human.
Pigs have 5 lobes (right
lateral, right central, left
central, left lateral, caudate),
Humans have 4 lobes (right,
left, caudate, quadrate).
Pigs have 3 lobes in the right
and left lungs, Humans have
3 lobes in the right and 2
lobes in the left
Pig has a spiral shaped large
intestine (specifically the
colon)
No distinct differences
between the kidneys of pigs
and humans.
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Figure 1: Heart and Lungs Figure 2: Cross section of heart

Figure 3: Bisection of kidney Figure 4: Abdominal Cavity

Observations:

I did not complete the physical lab dissection, but instead chose to complete the Whitman

College online dissection. Originally I had decided to participate the in the physical lab, but on

the day I felt very emotional and felt that it was too difficult to continue. Personally, I had

difficulty looking past the face of the pig, which reminded me of the “humanity” of the animal.

Based on the Whitman College dissection I noticed that the fetal pig’s organs were in most of the

same locations as organs of the human body, with a few exceptions like the heart, which resides

closer to the middle of the fetal pig body. In the cross section of the fetal pig heart I noticed that

the left ventricular wall was significantly thicker than that of the right ventricular wall, a trait that

is also seen in humans. I am unsure as to why this occurs, and would be interested in researching

in more detail about this anatomical feature. Interestingly, the large intestine of the fetal pig had

a distinct spiral shape, while the small intestine looked very similar to that of a human. Of the
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five organs I observed in the lab, three of the five had anatomical differences to the same organs

in humans, such as the five lobe structure of the liver compared to the four lobe liver structure in

humans. I do not yet know why pigs have five lobes, but I would be interested to learn more

about each lobe’s function in connection with the liver and with the digestive system itself. I am

curious to see if the pig’s evolutionary history since it’s last shared common ancestor with

humans 80 million years ago has had an impact on this physiological development.

Major Findings:

● While the small intestine of the pig is virtually the same as the human small intestine, the

large intestine of the fetal pig has a distinct spiral shape, a significant difference from that

of human intestine anatomy.

● Three out of the five fetal pig organs studied had differences with that of human organs,

while two were virtually the same.

● Fetal pigs have three lobes in each lung, while humans have three lobes in the right lung

and two lobes in the left lung. However, both have a pleural membrane that encases the

lungs.

● Pig kidneys are virtually the same as human kidneys, a physiological feature that allows

pigs to be used in research labs for experiments focused on human conditions.

● Both the fetal pig heart and human heart have four ventricles and four atriums, but the

left cardinal vein of the fetal pig heart is significantly larger, as it drains both the heart

wall and posterior chest wall because of the lack of development of azygos vein.
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Analysis:

As a whole, the anatomical features of the fetal pig are similar to that of humans, with

slight differences that account for the genetic diversity between pigs and humans. The organ that

appeared to be most different from that of its human counterpart was the large intestine, which

has a spiral shape unlike that of humans. Of the organs of the digestive system, this is the largest

departure as in humans, the large intestine is a long thick tube that wraps around the edge of the

small intestine. This difference is due to conditions of the environment of pigs and natural

selection, which leads to specific traits being passed onto future generations based on an

organism’s ability to reproduce. It is likely that the spiral structure of the fetal pig liver has

benefitted the species throughout evolutionary time, giving the organism beneficial adaptations

for its environment. However, both organs aid in the digestive process by absorbing water and

breaking down waste before fecal matter exits the body through the anal canal, a significant

similarity between the two. The liver, another organ of the digestive system, has five lobes in the

fetal pig, or more specifically the right lateral, right central, left central, left lateral, and caudate

lobes. In humans there are only four lobes, which are the right, left, caudate, and quadrate lobes.

Aside from this anatomical structure, both organs are located above the stomach and intestines,

and contain the lobe structure which aids in the secretion of bile to help break down food into

nutrients and waste. Similarly to the large intestine, the different lobes of the pig liver allow for

different processes of digestion to occur, as humans and pigs have vast differences in their diets

which need to be broken down differently in the body. Unlike the large intestine and liver, the

kidney of a fetal pig is almost the same as the kidney of a human, with the same renal pyramid

structure and outer cortex, medulla, and renal pelvis regions. Physically, both the human and pig
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kidneys look remarkably similar, and the main difference, if any, between the two organs is their

size. The two organs are presumably similar because of a share ancestor in their evolutionary

histories, which because of similar environmental conditions, has not impacted the development

of the kidneys. In the heart, there are a variety of valuable similarities and differences that allow

us to understand more about the development of both humans and pigs. In particular, the heart of

both pigs and humans have four atriums and four ventricles, as well as a similar hemiazygos

vein. These key physiological features give insight into the similarity in function of the heart for

both pig and human circulatory systems, while differences like a larger left cardinal vein in pigs

provides information on pig development, or rather the lack thereof. To explain, in human

development the azygos vein develops a connection to the heart, which causes the left cardinal

vein to become significantly smaller, only draining the heart wall. In pigs, this development does

not occur, and the hemiazygos vein drains both sides of the posterior chest wall, causing it to

very large. More than just this, the heart’s location is different in the pig and human, as it is

located slightly to the left in humans while it has a more central location in the abdominal cavity

in pigs. In all organisms the heart as great significance, and it is likely that a common ancestor

shared by the pig and human had a similar heart structure. However, throughout evolution

conditions arose, through natural selection where pigs needed only the hemiazygos vein while

humans, in best adapting to their situation, developed two veins. The benefits of these

adaptations aided both of these organisms in their environments. In relation to heart, the lungs

provide an integral role for the body, providing systems of transportation for oxygen and carbon

dioxide. In the pig, there are 3 lobes in each lung, while in humans there are 2 lobes in the left

lung, and 3 lobes in the right lung. Aside from this difference, the lungs of pigs and humans
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share a pleural membrane feature which protects the lungs and a multilobed structure which has

unique benefits. While pigs and humans move and function in different ways, the method of

oxygen and carbon dioxide transportation remains mostly the same, and is perhaps slightly

different because of environmental factors that made it necessary for humans to have less lobes

in the left lung compared to the right lung to survive, and for pigs to have the same number of

lobes in each lung.

Conclusion:

I believe I had a unique perspective in this experiment compared to my classmates as I

did not complete the dissection. My original intent was to power through my emotion of cutting

open a dead animal, but in the end my emotions overtook my scientific mind. I found it too hard

to put aside the fact that I would be cutting open an organism that had yet to even experience life,

moving me to tears. The experience is one I will remember, and has impacted me to reconsider

my own dietary habits. To explain, I found it very difficult to dissect a fetal pig myself, but up

until this point I enjoyed eating ham on sandwiches and at Christmas. This is a very hypocritical

position for me to take, so I have decided to really consider the impact I have the quality of life

of the livestock animals I eat. This was certainly not the conclusion I believed I would draw at

the end of the dissection, but is one that will help me to grow as an individual, and learn more

about what I put into my body. In comparing the organs of pigs to that of humans, I have come to

startling discovery, which is that humans truly aren’t all that different from pigs. Through a chain

of evolution a mere 80 million years ago we shared a common ancestor with pigs as humans,

which has lead to many of the similarities that can be seen in the organs of the digestive system.

While some features of these organs, like the number of lobes they have, or their shape differ,
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their overall function remains the same in the process of digesting food, and gaining energy from

this process. However this similarities can not only been seen in the digestive system, but also in

the circulatory and respiratory systems, which play vital roles in our survival. While these

similarities begin to bridge a connection between humans and pigs, the differences between these

two species are what cause us as humans to be not be worried that we will grow a snout or a

curly pig tail. These features also tell us about the unique and rich history of each organism, and

the adaptations that have occurred so that these organisms look and function the way that they

do. Not only are these adaptations interesting, but they give a better understanding of the

evolutionary environments that caused different organs to change. Genetics, and evolutionary

time play a key role in our humanity, and place in both our human and natural society. While the

CODE focused on the traits of an individual which have lead them to their present conditions,

this same logic can be applied to our biological history. We are all organisms under the same

sun, a fact that both humbles me, and gives me drive to pursue a future in biology, digging deep

into what it truly means to be human.

Works Cited

Carruthers, Tom. “The Similarities between Humans and Pigs.” ​Australian Academy of Science​,

Australian Academy of Science, 7 Dec. 2017,

www.science.org.au/curious/people-medicine/similarities-between-humans-and-pigs​.

Innerbody. “Explore Human Anatomy and Physiology.” InnerBody,

www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html​.
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Miller, Linda. “Human/Pig Comparisons | Fetal Pig Dissection Guide | Goshen College.” Peru

SST, Goshen College,

www.goshen.edu/academics/biology/pigbook/human-pig-comparisons/​.

Whitman College. “Virtual Fetal Pig Dissection.” Whitman College, Whitman College,

www.whitman.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/biology/virtual-pig​.