Fetal Pig Dissection
Seriously AWESOME dissection site: http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/Michael.Gre
gory/files/Bio%20102/Bio%20102%20Laboratory/Fet al%20Pig/Fetal%20Pig.htm

Virtual Fetal Pig Dissection
• http://www.whitman.edu/content/virtualpig

Important Systems
• External Anatomy
• Muscular
• Circulatory (heart)
• Respiratory
• Digestive
• Urinary
• Reproductive
• Skeletal
• Nervous (brain)

External Anatomy, Mouth and the Muscular System
DAY 1

External Anatomy of the Fetal Pig

Mouth

Important Muscles
(Ventral Pectoral Girdle)
• Masseter
• Sternohyoid, Sternomastoid, Sternocephalic
• Brachiocephalic
• Biceps brachii
• Superficial Pectoral
• Deep pectoral
• Serratus ventralis

Muscular System (Ventral Pectoral
Girdle)

Important Muscles (Dorsal)
• http://www.jesuitnola.com/upload/biology/or y/fetal_pig_muscle_dissection.htm
• Latissimus dorsi
• Trapezius

Important Muscles of the Leg
• Gluteus medius, gluteus maximus
• Biceps femoris

Once you have identified the important muscles…
• Read through the lab about the remaining systems
• Make sure you know which incisions you will be making and what you will encounter.

The neck, cardiovascular system
DAY 2

Fetal Pig Neck and Cardiovascular
System
• Larynx
• Trachea
• Bronchi
• Esophagus
• Thymus and Thyroid Glands

Heart and Associated Blood Vessels
• Heart:
– 2 upper atria
– 2 lower ventricles
• Vena Cava (Anterior and Posterior)
• Pulmonary Artery
• Aorta

Blood Vessels of the Fetal Pig
• Carotid Artery
• Jugular Vein
• Umbilical vein: from placenta to fetus
• Umbilical arteries: pelvic region to placenta
• Renal Vein
• Renal Artery

Heart

After identification of the heart and associated blood vessels…
• Remove the heart
• Dissect the heart (if possible)
• Locate the blood vessels
• Be sure to identify how blood flows through the fetal pig heart, chambers of the heart
• Move on to the respiratory system

Respiratory Structures
• Larynx
– With vocal cords
• Trachea
• Bronchi
• Bronchioles
• Lungs
• Diaphragm

Digestive System
• Esophagus
• Cardiac sphincter
• Stomach
• Pyloric sphincter
• Small Intestine
– Duodenum
– Jejunum
– Ileum
• Cecum
• Large Intestine (colon)
• Rectum
• Anus

Digestive System Accessory Organs
• Liver
• Gall bladder
• Pancreas

Now, on to the urinary system!
REMOVE THE INTESTINES (AND THE
REST OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, IF
DESIRED)

The urinary system, reproductive system, skeletal system
DAY 3

Urinary System
• Kidneys
– Cortex and medulla
– Renal pyramids
• Ureter
• Urinary bladder
• Urethra
• (Adrenal glands)

Reproductive
System: Male
• Testes
• Epididymus
• Vas deferens
• Seminal vesicles
• Prostate gland
• Bulbourethral glands
• Penis

Reproductive System: Female
• Ovaries
• Uterus and uterine horns
• Vagina

• Skull
• Vertebrae
• Ribs
• Sternum
• Scapula
• Pelvis
The Skeletal System

The Skeletal System
• Upper Limb:
– Humerus
– Radius
– Ulna
• Lower Limb:
– Femur
– Tibia
– Fibula