Pig’s Foot, Chicken, Liver & Other Tissues Dissection Lab

  1. Objective: Using a variety of tissue types students will identify the tissues types (epithelial, muscle, &

connective) and their possible locations found in a living organism.

  1. Materials: Chicken, beef liver, Cow’s tongue, Pig’s feet, clean slides, cover slips, dissecting kits.
  1. How to make a wet mount w/dye: Take a small scraping from the sample & smear it onto the

slide. Place 1-drop of water over your sample. Place 1drop of dying agent onto the sample. Starting @ one edge, drag & place the cover slip over the sample. Use the edge of a paper towel to wick away excess fluid from the slide. First view the tissue under low power to see the general shape & structure. Then under medium power, draw & label the structures within the tissue.

  1. Process: 1. Take a sample of epithelial tissue (stratified squamous)from the chicken and another

sample from your own cheek & makea wet mount slide of each, so you can look at the tissue under the microscope. Make sure your sample is thin enough to view under the microscope & remember to use a cover slip. You sketch should look something like this:

2. Take a sample of each of the followingconnective tissues: adipose,dense fibrous – tendon, loose areolar, hylaine cartilage, osseousfrom the from the chicken or pig’s foot. Make a slide of each tissue so you can look at it under the microscope. Make sure your sample is thin enough to view under the microscope & remember to use a cover slip. You sketch should look something like this:

3. Take a sample of muscle tissue (skeletal) from the chicken or pig’s foot & make a slide so you can look at the tissue under the microscope. Make sure your sample is thin enough to view under the microscope & remember to use a cover slip.You sketch should look something like this:

4. Take a sample of connective tissue from the liver & make a slide so you can look at it under the microscope. Make sure your sample is thin enough to view under the microscope & remember to use a cover slip. You sketch should look something like this:

5. Take a sample of tissue from the tongue & make a slide so you can look at the tissue under the microscope. Make sure your sample is thin enough to view under the microscope & remember to use a cover slip. You sketch should look something like this:

  1. Observations

Slide / Tissue Type / Sketch / Description
1. Stratified Squamous
2. Areolar
2. Adipose
2. Hyaline Cartilage
2. Osseous
2. Dense
3. Skeletal
4. Liver
5. Tongue
  1. Conclusion:
  1. Explain which slides were the easiest to recognize & which were most difficult.
  1. Answer the following questions:
  2. How are epithelial tissues classified?
  1. What are the functions of connective tissue?
  1. What is the function of muscle tissue?
  1. What are the 2 major functional characteristics of nerve tissue?
  1. Where is ciliated epithelium found & what role does it play?
  1. Clean Up: When finished w/slides; wash & dry each slide/cover slip. Replace them in the boxes they

came from. Wash all dissecting tools w/soap & water & then dry them extremely well & replace them. Throw you specimen parts away & wipe you area w/antibacterial solution. Wash your hands well w/soap & water.

  1. Pig’s Feet Lab
  1. What you’ll need:

1 pig’s foot 1 plate / pig’s foot

2 hemostats (1 straight & 1 curved)1 string

1 pk. of suture material1 paper towel

  1. Directions:

1. Look @ your pig’s foot & identify the:

A) EpidermisB) DermisC) Hypodermis

D) Any bone or muscle tissueE) Any hair or nails (hoof)

2. Place the pig’s foot flat on your plate. Find the transverse midpoint of your pig’s foot. Using the scapel, make a midsagittal cut ~ 2” long through the epidermis & midway through the dermis of your pig’s foot.

3. Using your needle w/suture material attached you’re going to stitch the cut closed.

4. The Dermis should be stitched shut w/non-movable knots. In other words, Granny or Square knots. The Epidermis should start out w/a Granny knot & move to a sliding knot & finish w/a Granny knot.

5. If you have trouble, just let me know. I’ll try to help you to the best of my ability.

  1. Clean Up: When finished with your pig’s foot; take all the stitches out & throw away all used stitches.

Place the used needles in the sharps container. Any unused material will go back in their containers. Wash all dissecting tools w/soap & water & then dry them extremely well. Once dry, replace the dissecting tools to their proper location. Place your specimen parts in the designated area & wipe you area w/antibacterial solution. Wash your hands well w/soap & water.

  1. Observations:

1. Where did you find A. adipose tissue? B. areolar tissue? C. stratified squamous epithelium?

2. Explain how thick the epidermis is as compared to the dermis.

3. Pig skin is very similar in construction & thickness to human skin. Explain how much pressure or how difficult was it for you to stick your needle through the pig’s skin.

4. What does keratinized stratified squamous epithelium do?