Drumstick, Liver, Tongue Histology Lab KEY

  1. Objective: Using a variety of tissue types students will identify 3 of the 4 tissues types (epithelial, muscle, & connective) and their possible locations found in a living organism.
  1. Materials: Chicken drumsticks, beef liver, cow’s tongue, clean slides & cover slips, dissecting kits,
  1. Process: 1. Take a sample of epithelial tissue (stratified squamous)from the chicken leg & 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. First view the tissue under low power & then under medium power draw & label the identifiable structures within the tissue.

2. Take a sample of connective tissue each adipose,dense connective – tendon, loose areolar, hylaine cartilage, osseous & blood from the from the chicken leg & 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. First view the tissue under low power & then under medium power draw & label the identifiable structures within the tissue.

3. Take a sample of muscle tissue (skeletal) from the chicken leg & 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. First view the tissue under low power & then under medium power draw & label the identifiable structures within the tissue.

4. Take a sample of tissue from the liver & 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. First view the tissue under low power & then under medium power draw & label the tissue type & identifiable structures within the tissue.

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. First view the tissue under low power & then under medium power draw & label the tissue type & identifiable structures within the tissue.

  1. Observations

Slide / Tissue Type / Sketch / Description
1. Stratified Squamous(chicken) / Epithelial / / Multi-layered squashed cell w/flat nuclei w/apex & basement membrane.
2. Areolar / Connective / / Contains many fibers to look like a spider web with cast cells & fibroblasts.
2. Adipose / Connective / / Contains fat droplet vacuole w/nuclei outside of fat vacule & blood vessels.
2. Hyaline Cartilage / Connective / / Contains a rubbery matrix, collagen fibers, & cartilage cells w/lacunae
2. Osseous (Bone) / Connective / / Containes rings called lacunae & osteocytes.
2. Dense / Connective / / Dense matrix, fibroblasts & macrophages, & collagen fibers. Tendon
2. Blood / Connective / / Surrounded by a fluid matrix. Contains RBC & WBC & fibers during clotting.
3. Skeletal / Muscle / / Contains striations & more than 1 nuclei.
4. Liver / Connective
Reticular / / Contains delicate interwoven network of fibers.Chick bone marrow, liver, spleen
5. Tongue / Muscle
Skeletal / / Contains striations & more than 1 nuclei.
  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? On the basis of cell shape & the relative number of cell layers.
  1. What are the functions of connective tissue?They serve to connect, support, protect, & repair other body tissues.
  1. What is the function of muscle tissue?To contract or shorten & to produce movement.
  1. What are the 2 major functional characteristics of nerve tissue?Irritability & conductivity.
  1. Where is ciliated epithelium found & what role does it play?In the respiratory system where it acts to prevent debris from entering the lower respiratory passageways & in the reproductive system, to move sex cells along the duct passageways.
  1. Clean Up: When finished w/slides. Wash each slide/cover slip & then wipe them clean w/an antibacterial wipe & dry them well. 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 down well w/antibacterial solution. Wash your hands well w/soap & water.