[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud

Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1

Purpose:

To observe and study the structures and functions of a mammalian heart.

Materials:

Reagents Apparatus

Sheep or 1-Scissors
hog heart
1-Scalpel

1-Forceps

1-Probe

1-Disecting
tray

Procedure:
PART A: Dissection of a Mammalian Heart

Place the heart on the dissecting tray with the apex towards you and pointing
slightly to your right
If the heart is covered with the pericardium—a membranous sac, carefully
remove it along with any fat at the top of the heart
Leave all associated blood vessels intact
Note the positions and size of the two atria, located anteriorly in comparison
to the ventricles which are located posteriorly
Feel the walls of the chambers, noticing the relative differences in the
thickness of the walls of the atria and ventricles
Notice the thickness of the left ventricle in comparison to the right ventricle
Draw and label heart noting the following blood vessels: aorta, pulmonary
artery, vena cavae, pulmonary veins and Coronary vessels

Heart dissection

Make and incision from the top of the right atrium extending obliquely
through the right ventricle
Don not cut completely through the tissues, leaving the dorsal side intact to
provide a hinge (open like a book)
Examine the tricuspid valve noting the # of flaps comprising the valve and
the attachment of the chordae tendineae(heart strings) and the papillary
muscles to the flaps
Make an incision in the pulmonary artery to exposit the pulmonary semilunar
valve
[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud
Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1
Make another incision from the left atrium to the left ventricle to view the
internal structures of the chambers and the mintral valve
Examine the pulmonary semilunar valve noting the # of flaps comprising the
valve and the attachment of the chordae tendineae(heart strings) and the
papillary muscles to the flaps
Make a longitudinal incision in the aorta to expose the aortic semilunar valve
and the opening to the two coronary arteries just above it. Wall dividing the
right and left atria is called the interatrial septum
Draw and label interior of heart—one half only

Questions: 1-5
Questions: 1-5

1. Using the dissected heart, trace, and describe the flow of blood through the heart. Include statements
about whether the blood is oxygenated or deoxygenated at specific locations.

SIMPLE:
right atrium  right ventricle  lungs left atrium  left ventricle  body  [and back to the right atrium]

MORE DETAILED:

Blood returns to the heart from the body via the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava. This blood is
deoxygenated. The blood from the vena cava enters the right atrium of the heart. It then flows through
the tricuspid valve (also called the right AV, or right atrioventricular, valve) into the right ventricle.
Contraction of the right ventricle sends the blood out of the heart, out through the pulmonary semilunar
valve.

The blood carried out of the heart from the right ventricle enters the pulmonary cavity and then diverges into
the left and right pulmonary arteries of the pulmonary circulation. It is deoxygenated blood that flows
through these arteries.

The blood in the left and right pulmonary arteries enters the left and right lungs, where the blood is
oxygenated. The oxygenated blood then leaves the lungs via the left and right pulmonary veins. Note that it
is oxygenated blood that flows through these veins.

The oxygenated blood in the pulmonary veins returns to the heart at the left atrium. From there the blood
passes through the bicuspid or mitral valve (also called the left AV, or left atrioventricular, valve) into the left
ventricle. Contraction of the left ventricle pumps the oxygenated blood out of the heart, out through the
aortic semilunar valve. The oxygenated blood pumped out of the heart by the left ventricle enters the aorta
and is then distributed to the body.

2. Describe the structure and function of the valves and the associated chordate tendineae and the
papillary muscles.

The purpose of the valves is to ensure one-way [forward] flow of blood travelling through the
chambers of the heart. The order that blood returning to the heart passes through the valves is:

i. Tricuspid – located between the right atrium and right ventricle, the tricuspid vale has three
flaps pointing downward tethered to the papillary muscles below them by chordae tendinae
[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud
Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1

ii. Pulmonic – located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, the pulmonic valve
has three flaps.

iii. Bicuspid - located between the left atrium and left ventricle, the mitral valve two leaflets (or
cusps) pointing downward and anchored by chordae tendinae to the papillary muscles in the left
ventricle below has chordae tendinae, 2 leaflets
Aortic - between the left ventricle and the aorta, the aortic valve has three cusps

iv. The tricuspid and mitral valves (bicuspid) are between the right and left atria and venticles
respectively, and thus are called atrioventricular (AV) valves. They both have their flaps
anchored onto papillary muscles in the ventricles below them by chordae tendinae and permit
blood to flow downward from the upper atria into the ventricles during relaxation.

The pulmonic and aortic valves are called semilunar valves and separate the ventricles from the
arteries that they empty into. They both have three cuplike cusps that allow blood to flow
upward and out of the ventricles during systole (ventricular contraction).

1. What is the reason for the difference in thickness between the walls of the arteries and the veins as
well as the walls of the left and right ventricles?

The ventricle left wall is thicker because this is where the blood is pumped; it therefore,
experiences more blood pressure because it is pumping blood to the body while the right
ventricle pumps blood to the lungs. Due to the large amount of blood pressure, the left ventricle
wall is thicker to provide a barrier to the pressure. The right ventricle wall does not experience
as much pressure on its walls which is why they aren’t as thick as the left ventricle.

2. Discuss the implications or problems arising from the incomplete closure of the foramen ovalis
(opening between the right and left atria) prior to birth.

A normal four-chambered heart separates the "deoxygenated" circulation from the "oxygenated." It's
more efficient, and a better system, for active warm-blooded animals, than mixing the blood. It would
mean that after birth, the blood being pumped to the body would be a mix of re-circulated blood that
hadn't been to the lungs and ____________________

3. Explain the significance of the openings of the coronary arteries to their position behind the flaps of
the semilunar valves. Does blood flow through the heart muscle during contraction or relaxation?
Explain.

When relaxation is occurring in the atria, blood flows through the atria and the AV valves into the ventricles.

When contraction is occurring in the atria the remaining blood that doesn't flow through during relaxation is
pushed into the ventricles. As the atrium relaxes, the ventricles begin contracting; ventricular pressure
rises closing the AV valves.
[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud
Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1
Ventricular pressure continues rising until it exceeds the pressure in the large arteries stemming from the
ventricles. The semilunar valves are forced open blood is expelled from the ventricles into the aorta and
pulmonary cavity.

During this phase the ventricles relax because the blood is no longer compressed in their chambers. Blood
pushed into the aorta and pulmonary cavity backflows toward the heart, which then closes the SL valves.
During the ventricle contraction the atria stays in relaxation, filling with blood and when blood pressure on
the atrial side of the AV valves exceeds that in the ventricles, the AV valves are forced open and ventricular
filling begin all over again.
[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud
Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1
[Type text] [Type text] Hafsa Mohamud
Biology 12
Sheep Heart Dissection Lab
January 27th 2011
Period: 2-1