Digestive system of the rat
Introduction: The digestive system is a track that breaks down food into small molecules which is
then absorbed by our bodies through our intestine. The breaking down of food is a process of
chemical and mechanical digestion, this includes chewing, churning in the stomach and movements
of the intestine.
Aim: To examine the alimentary tract of a typical mammal
Materials: Refer to handout.
Method: Refer to handout.
Discussion:
Q1. What can you infer about the rat’s diet from its teeth? How could differences between the teeth
of a human and a rat be related to differences in their diet ?
A. The teeth of the rat is sharp, which keeps growing therefore it has to constantly chew on things so
that it won’t protrude. Unlike human rats only have incisors while humans have molars and canine
for grinding.
Q2. From the dissection what would appear to be the function of the mesentery?
A. The mesentery is composed of two layers of connective tissue called the peritoneum. The
function of mesentery is to project a shelter for nerves and blood vessels from the central system to
the organs.
Q3. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and other chemical secretions. How do these
substances reach the digestive tract
A. These substances are secreted via the pancreatic duct.
Q4. From your observation suggest what must happen to gut contents as they pass along the large
intestine.
A. It becomes a semi-solid faeces, we also came out from its anus faeces