Erin Rice
Western Governor's University
Anatomy & Physiology II
C405
Kristin Trimmer
November 19, 2017 Fetal Pig Dissection
Cardiovascular System
The fetal pig heart and the sheep heart were very similar in structure. They both consist of two atria and two ventricles. The biggest difference noted between the fetal pig and the sheep hearts were the size. The sheep heart was larger than the pig, although the pig heart seemed to have thicker myocardial muscles. The four valves of the heart are the tricuspid valve, the pulmonic valve, the mitral valve, and the aortic valve. The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It is responsible for allowing blood to flow from the atrium …show more content…
The biggest difference between the right and left lungs of the fetal pig are that the right lung has four lobes and the left lobe only has three lobes.
Renal System The structure of the fetal pig kidneys and the sheep kidneys are similar in that they are both shaped like beans and are reddish-brown in color. They both also have conduits draining urine into the ureters as a path for urine to leave the kidney. The sheep kidney did seem to have more fatty tissue than the pig kidney. The kidneys of the fetal pig are located more dorsally in the retroperitoneum behind the abdominal wall organs. The path of urine through the kidney begins in the nephrons, flows through the collecting ducts, and empties into the renal calyx. The urine then flows through the ureters to the bladder, down the urethra, and out of the body.
Endocrine System The endocrine organs located in the throat are the thyroid gland, trachea, and the parathyroid glands. The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland in the throat that secretes the thyroid hormone and is responsible for metabolism. The parathyroid glands are small, round structures located on the thyroid gland that regulate calcium levels in the …show more content…
The pancreas is located below the stomach and secretes the insulin and glucagon and releases digestive enzymes as well. The adrenal glands are located on the top end of the kidneys. They regulate metabolism as well as release adrenalin triggering the “fight or flight” response. The ovaries are located on each side of the pelvic cavity and release the female sex hormones. They also release oocytes in preparation for fertilization and reproduction.
Digestive System They major organs of the digestive tract in the fetal pig are the stomach, large intestine, and small intestine. “The stomach is a muscular pouch that lies on the left side of the upper abdomen.” (Bohensky, 2002, p. 59) The main job of the stomach is to break down and store food. The large intestine is a large tube in the abdomen that reabsorbs the water and minerals from digestion and forms stool. The small intestine is a long and skinny tube in the abdomen that absorbs nutrients in the body. The accessory digestive organs in the digestive tract consist of the mouth, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, and the pancreas. The mouth uses the teeth, tongue, and salivary glands to moisten and chew up the food in order to pass it through the esophagus to the stomach. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas aid in secreting digestive enzymes to further breakdown the food into smaller forms to allow the