Fetal Pig Lab Report

The Anatomical Similarities of the Internal Organs of a Fetal Pig and the Human
Introduction:
Since humans and pigs are mammals, there will be similarities in the major internal organs of both. Mammals share many common characteristics such as a diaphragm, a four-chambered heart, similar digestive, respiratory, circulatory, excretory, reproductive systems. The purpose of the dissecting the fetal pig is to better understand that the internal organs are the same or similar to that of a human. H0: Pig and human internal organs should be functionally and structurally similar. H1: Pig and human internal organs are functionally and structurally similar.
Methods: Before starting the dissection, the external anatomy, of the fetal pig, …show more content…
Using a scalpel, a midline incision was made from the diaphragm to the throat region. Care was used when two lateral incisions were made on each side of the midline anteriorly to the forelimbs. Posterior to the forelimbs and anterior to the diaphragm to the ends of the ribs, two lateral incisions were made. Once the flaps were pulled back the thoracic cavity was exposed. A posterior incision from the diaphragm to the umbilical cord was made. A flap containing the umbilical cord was made with incisions posteriorly from the left to the right and with a semicircular incision around the cord. Two incisions were made on each side of the midline incision just posterior to the diaphragm. Anterior to the hind limbs, two more incisions were made on either sides of the umbilical cord flap. The flaps were pulled back. With the thoracic and abdominal cavities exposed, the examination of the internal organs began with the thoracic …show more content…
Moving on to the abdominal cavity, posterior to the diaphragm, the liver was located. It was observed that the fetal pig liver had five lobes whereas the human liver has four lobes. To the left side of the liver the stomach was identified as well as the spleen, which is attached to the stomach by mesentery. Lifting the stomach, the pancreas is located between it and the small intestine. Located next, in the midline area was where the esophagus penetrated the diaphragm and joined the stomach. The stomach makes a posterior narrow curve to the right and joins the duodenum of the small intestines. Posteriorly from here the small intestine coils and bends into a mass held together by mesentery. Between the liver and the duodenum, in the mesentery, the bile duct was located. From there, on the underside of the right liver lobe, the gallbladder was located. On the left side of the abdominal cavity, the cecum joins the large intestine to the small intestine. In a human this would occur on the right side of the abdominal cavity. The main portion of the large intestine, also known as the colon, in the fetal pig is spiraled. In humans, the colon does not spiral. The colon runs anteriorly, then posteriorly along the midline of the dorsal

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