Fetal Pig Dissection

Charlotte Tripp

November 11th, 2020

SBI3U-03
Charlotte Tripp

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 Part One: Prior to Dissection

Introduction

The mammalian bodily systems consist of the circulatory, digestive and

respiratory systems, and so forth. These all are essential in order for our bodies to
function, and organs to perform properly. They are responsible for our pulse and blood
flow, waste management and energy absorption, and breathing. This is consistent in all
mammals, from humans to bears. This is important because understanding the animal
systems can help us understand our own. We can later apply this knowledge in certain
careers, and everyday applications like mentioned below.

This dissection will be performed to get a closer insight to a close copy of human
organ systems. This is relevant in order to have an understanding of realistically, how
our body functions and what it looks like. Scissors were used to get clean precise cuts
in the thin delicate layers of skin, without cutting too far.

This procedure can be very relevant in the real world when autopsies are being
made. An autopsy is used to evaluate someone’s health conditions and cause of death
after they have passed. It is performed by medical professionals after anyone has died.
It can be used for forensic investigations, mystery deaths, etc.

The purpose of this dissection is to evaluate how similar and realistic a pig’s
anatomy is, compared to a human. Performing this dissection is significant in order to
obtain more knowledge, and have a hands on learning experience to see how they
compare.

Part Two: Post Dissection

Materials/ Method

Materials:
2 pairs of scissors
2 probes
Tweezers
Waste tray
Dissecting Tray
Strand of string
Nails

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 Method:
Starting off, a procedure was researched and brainstormed, in order to have a
plan. The pig was secured down and observed to start the dissection. The abdomen
area of the pig was dissected first, starting with making various incisions with scissors to
get a better opening to examine inside. Skin flaps were lifted and secured down with
nails, along with excess tissue which was removed until eventually the organs became
visible. The liver, lungs, heart, intestines, kidneys and stomach were all removed
carefully. The surrounding tissue of these organs was precisely removed beforehand in
order to make a clean and precise cut to remove them. The organs were placed into a
separate tray, and observations were recorded. (See images below) The oral cavity was
examined after, starting with extending the mouth vertically, and cutting the sides of the
oral cavity in order to give a wider view of the tongue and palettes. An incision was
made down the throat in order to see the trachea and bronchi leading into the lungs.
Observations were made. Afterwards, the pig was disposed of, and the materials and
workspace were sanitized.

Results

Amongst the observations, several of them outlined the similar traits were being
examined for. These traits helped display the importance of similarities and differences,
between these organ systems in all types of mammals. Traits like the tongue, ridges on
your hard palate, and epiglottis placement all displayed this similarity.

During the procedure, it was observed that the pig had a dull grey-yellow toned
exterior skin color, and a dull grey-mauve internal organ color. The skin was very
malleable and delicate, yet the tissue was a little more tough. The rib cage and lungs
had not been developed yet, due to the pig being fetal. Measurements of the extracted
organs were recorded. (See table below) Other physical traits that were observed were
the intestines which were in a spiral, and a lighter color compared to the other organs.
The heart was a small bulb shape, and connected at the top by thin arteries. The
diaphragm was a thin sheet of muscle just below the rib cage. And lastly, the stomach
was punctured by accident, but was a small airbag like sack.

Finally, these traits can help to distinguish an answer to the hypothesis. Many
observations were taken to help with this as well. The observations taken during this
procedure use physical appearance and characteristics to compare and contrast with a
human anatomy.

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 Analysis

Significant results that concluded from this observation include the comparison of
the anatomy between humans and the fetal pig, a look at the circulatory, respiratory and
digestive systems, and more.

Discussion/ Conclusion

In conclusion, my hypothesis was correct. This dissection showed us the

significant amount of similarities between human and pig anatomy. It demonstrated the
hands on learning experience, and gave an inside look at how they compare and relate
to each other. It was possible to see the similarities and do an evaluation of how much
they correlate with each other.

Apparatus

Organ Length Width

Liver 5 cm 6 cm

Heart 4 cm 3 cm

Lungs 7 cm 5 cm

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