Year 13 Diploma Biology

Heart Dissection Lab Practical

Introduction
This lab practical allows you to identify and compare the size, shape and tissue type of the
major chambers and vessels of the heart. The goal of the lab is not just to observe anatomy,
but to associate structure with function. The heart is a pump for blood that comes into
the right atrium, goes out to the lungs through the right ventricle, returns through the left
atrium, and leaves again through the left ventricle. Each chamber is separated by valves that
prevent the backflow of blood. You should try to figure out where the various components
are, how each works, and especially how the shape, composition and even texture of each part
contribute to its function.
This dissection requires you to make observations and drawings, some of which can be
made directly into the spaces on this work-sheet, while others should be made on paper,
which should be attached to this work-sheet.
Heart Dissection Lab Report
Your lab report should consist of
. ! brief Introduction to what you did and what the purpose of the lab was. "hat was
the #uestion you were trying to answer, or what were the goals of the lab$ %e sure to
specify the animal from which your heart came.
&. ! Results section that includes text and drawings'photos of the steps of the
dissection. (n the photos, label the structures of interest. Each drawing'photo must
have a caption. !lso include in this section your completed tables of measurements and
observations.
). ! Discussion section in which you select one major anatomical feature of the heart,
e.g., the tricuspid valve *valve+ or the left ventricle *chamber+ or the aorta *vessel+, and
discuss how its function is related to its structure. ,eatures you might include in this
description are the shape, the composition and mechanical properties of the tissue, and
the texture of any surfaces involved. Provide evidence from your observations,
preferably numerical, for everything you claim.
Assessment
-!T! ./00E.T(/1
Year 13 2014-2015 Diploma Biology Topic 6 Human Physiology: 62 Transpor! "ys!em
Materials
-issection kit -rawing pencils and'or -igital .amera
2ubber'latex gloves -issection guide and results table
3heep 4eart -iagram of heart
5ins and labels
Preliminary Questions
+ "hat is the heart6s surface like$ "hat function do you think this serves$
&+ 4ow does the heart muscle itself receive oxygen for respiration$
Observation: External AnatomyDO !O" #$" A!%"&I!' %E"(
As you follow the instructions and find each structure, label a pin and stick the pin in the
structure. I must see all ! structures before you may continue to the internal structures.
. (dentify the right and left sides of the heart. 0ook closely and on one side you will see a
diagonal line of blood vessels that divide the heart. The half that includes all of the apex
*pointed end+ of the heart is the left side. .onfirm this by s#ueezing each half of the heart. The
left half will feel much firmer and more muscular than the right side.
&. Turn the heart so that the right side is on your right, as if it were in your body. ,ind the
large opening at the top of the heart next to the right auricle *flap of darker tissue on top of the
heart+. This is the opening to the su)erior vena cava, which brings blood from the top half
of the body *arms and head+ to the ri*ht atrium+ .arefully stick a glass rod down this vessel.
You should feel it open into the right atrium. ! little down and to the left of the superior vena
cava there is another blood vessel opening. This is the inferior vena cava, which also leads
to the right atrium, bringing blood from the lower tissues *legs and abdomen+. You can also
see another blood vessel next to the left auricle. This is a )ulmonary vein that brings blood
from the lungs into the left atrium.
). 3ticking straight up from the centre of the heart is the largest blood vessel you will see. This
is the aorta, which takes oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body
*the ventricles are the lower chambers of the heart+. The aorta branches into more than one
artery right after it leaves the heart, so it may have more than one opening on your heart
specimen. 0ook carefully at the openings and you should be able to see that they are
connected to each other.
7. %ehind and to the left of the aorta there is another large vessel. This is the )ulmonary
artery which takes blood from the ri*ht ventricle to the lungs.
"efore you cut anything, draw a simple, coloured, front #ventral$ and a back #dorsal$
e%ternal view of the heart.
Year 13 2014-2015 Diploma Biology Topic 6 Human Physiology: 62 Transpor! "ys!em
Dissection: Internal Anatomy
As you work, make observations, drawings, photos and measurements of as many
structures as you can, filling in the chart.
. (nsert your dissecting scissors or scalpel into the su)erior vena cava and make an
incision down through the wall of the ri*ht atrium and ri*ht ventricle. 5ull the two sides
apart and look for three flaps of membrane. These membranes form the tricus)id valve
between the right atrium and the right ventricle. The membranes are connected to flaps of
muscle called the papillary muscles by tendons called the chordae tendinae or 8heartstrings.8
This valve allows blood to enter the ventricle from the atrium, but prevents backflow from the
ventricle into the atrium.
!orta
5ulmonary artery
The two vena cava go into
the right atrium on the
other *dorsal+ side
The pulmonary vein goes
into the left atrium on the
dorsal side.
.oronary artery and vein
"hen you need to see
inside the right ventricle,
cut here.
"hen you want to open the
left ventricle cut here.
&. (nsert a glass rod into the )ulmonary artery and see it come through to the right
ventricle. 9ake an incision down through this artery and look inside it for three small
membranous pockets. These form the )ulmonary semilunar valve which prevents blood
from flowing back into the right ventricle.
). (nsert your dissecting scissors or scalpel into the left auricle at the base of the aorta and
make an incision down through the wall of the left atrium and ventricle, as shown by the
dotted line in the external heart picture. 0ocate the mitral valve *or bicus)id valve+ between
the left atrium and ventricle. This will have two flaps of membrane connected to papillary
muscles by tendons.
7. (nsert a glass rod into the aorta and observe where it connects to the left ventricle. 9ake an
incision up through the aorta and examine the inside carefully for three small membranous
pockets. These form the aortic semilunar valve which prevents blood from flowing back
into the left ventricle.
Year 13 2014-2015 Diploma Biology Topic 6 Human Physiology: 62 Transpor! "ys!em
&eart Dissection -or.sheet
,ill out as much of the table below as you can. 3ome boxes may not be relevant. /bservations
should include colour, texture, shape, and anything else interesting to you.
/tructure Diameter
0mm1
-all
"hic.ness
0mm1
Observations
:ena .ava
2ight
!trium
0arge
*Tricuspid+
valve
2ight
:entricle
3emilunar
valve
5ulmonary
!rtery
5ulmonary
:ein
0eft
!trium
0arge
*%icuspid+
valve
0eft
:entricle
3emilunar
valve
!orta
.oronary
!rtery and
:ein
;ohn /sborne
/ctober &<)
Year 13 2014-2015 Diploma Biology Topic 6 Human Physiology: 62 Transpor! "ys!em