M.A.P.

Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

Skeletal Muscle Dissection Lab

Purpose:
To observe how the muscular and skeletal systems work together to move/support a chicken’s wing
and relate this to the arrangement of comparable anatomical structures of the human body.

Joint B

Joint C

Joint A

Figure 1

Draw a Sketch and label (before dissection):

 Make a sketch similar to the one above and label the structures that we have covered in class
(label the bones as if they were bones of the human arm. (humerus, ulna, radius, scapula,
carpals, metacarpals, phalanges). Regardless of the few differences, the arrangement of the
chicken wing closely resembles that of the upper extremity of a human.
 Label the joints (A,B,C) with their locations: distal, intermediate, proximal

Procedure:
1. Put on gloves. (work in groups of 2-3)
2. Obtain a chicken wing, dissecting tray and dissecting equipment.
3. Rinse the chicken wing under cool, running water and thoroughly dry it with a paper towel.
4. Pick up the wing and imagine it is still on the chicken. Notice that the “thumb” is superior.

5. Do you think your wing is from the right or left side of the chicken? Why?
M.A.P. Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

6. Imagine that the wing is a human arm. Create and

observe movement in the joints. Use your wing and
Figure 1 to answer the next 4 questions below:

a. Which joint in the human body is the

equivalent to joint A? Why do you think so?

b. What TYPE of joint do you think Joint A is?

Explain your answer.

c. Which joint in the human body is the

equivalent to Joint B? Why do you think so?

d. Which joint in the human body is the

equivalent to Joint C? Why do you think so?

7. Examine the skin covering the chicken wing. Fill in #1 on the Dissection Table.

8. Using Figure 2, make a transverse cut along the length of the wing (see Cut 1). Try not to cut
through the muscles below the skin. Do this by piercing the skin and then slipping the scissors
between the skin layer and the muscle. Cut until you reach Joint A.

9. Using Figure 2, make a sagittal cut in toward the lateral end of the wing (see Cut 2). You will
make a T-shaped cut. Start at the first cut and then cut away from it in both directions. Try not to
cut through the muscles below the skin.

10. Remove the skin from the wing. This is difficult so TAKE YOUR TIME. It works best if you slide
your finger around under the skin to break up some of the connective tissues; you may need to use
your scissors to gently cut away the skin. Pull the skin back as you go; pull top to bottom.

11. Notice the yellowish tissue found in small clumps on the inside of the skin. Fill in #2 on the Table.

12. Observe the muscles on the wing. They are bundles of pale pink tissue. Fill in #3 on the Table.
M.A.P. Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

13. Find two muscles in the wing that bend and straighten
the elbow joint. Each muscle pulls on the lower wing bones in
one direction (the flexor bends the joint; the extensor
straightens it).
Pull to flex Joint B- identify where the antagonist exists.
Pull to extend Joint B- Identify where the antagonist
exists.

Secure the wing at Joint A; alternately pull each muscle to

observe flexion and extension.

How did the muscles move the bones? Discuss the arrangement of these muscles and how
they are able to move the bones. Be thorough- include how muscles work in groups to oppose
different movements.
Draw a sketch that shows this arrangement.

14. Follow a bundle of muscle down to the tendon. Observe the shiny white tendon. What is the
function of tendons? Pull on a tendon to see how it helps to move the wing. Fill in #4 on the Table.

15. Notice the ligaments at the joint. What is the function of ligaments? Observe their
arrangement with the bones at each of the joints A,B,C. Fill in #5 on the Table.

16. Find a thin reddish-brown strand of tissue. Gently pull it aside with the dissecting needle. This
is a blood vessel. Fill in #6 on the Table.

17. Remove the muscles and tendons from the bone to expose Joint B. Pull the bones apart at the
joint. Look for the ligaments that hold the bones together. If you can, locate two ligaments
crossing each other. These are the cruciate ligaments (often injured by athletes).
How did ligaments hold the bones together? Describe and draw a sketch.

18. Pull apart a joint and observe the ends of the bones. What type of material do you see on the
ends of the bones making up the joints? Fill in #7 on the Table.
What is the function of this material? What type of joint can it be found in?
M.A.P. Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

19. Carefully break one of the bones and look inside.

Describe what you observe about the structure of chicken bone.

What substances make bone so hard?

20. Wet Mount of cooked chicken:

• Tease off a small amount of roast beef with forceps. (A dissecting probe may also be used.) You
may need to scrape the surface of the chicken until individual strands can be seen.
• Prepare a temporary wet mount of the chicken with iodine stain.
• Observe the strand under low power. Draw a diagram and write a description showing the
arrangement of the muscle fibers in the strand.

Magnification ____________X

Magnification ______________X

• Now switch to high power. Note the striated (striped) appearance of the muscle fibers. The unit
of muscle from one stripe to the next is called a sarcomere. Each sarcomere is composed of many
parallel filaments of protein. These filaments are made of two types of protein called actin and myosin.
The movement of these filaments relative to one another is responsible for muscle contraction. The
darkly stained, circular structures amid the striations are the nuclei of the muscle cells. Draw a diagram
(above) showing several muscle fibers as they appear under high power. Label a sarcomere and a
nucleus.
M.A.P. Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

CLEAN UP: Collect the chicken remains and place them in the trash. Afterward, remove your glove
and discard in the trash. Use the provided cleaning spray to thoroughly clean the lab sinks, lab
tables, and dissecting trays. Place all trash in the trash can. Take trash to the dumpster.
WASH YOUR HANDS VERY WELL WITH SOAP AND WATER!!

Analysis Questions:
1. What tissue of the chicken wing is commonly referred to as the “meat”?

2. Why would a bird be unable to fly if there were torn tendons in the wing?

3. Which two specific muscles, found in the human upper arm, are the equivalent of the chicken
wing muscles you looked at in this lab?

4. Why does a chicken need to have so many different bundles of muscles attaching to different
parts of the bones?

5. Look at your pre-dissection sketch: There an additional structure that can be found on a chicken
wing but not on a human arm. This is called an alula. Label this on your sketch. Look up the
alula- give it’s common name and describe its function.

6. What structure on the human body is comparable to the alula?

7. Explain how bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments work together to move a chicken’s wing.
Use observations to support your explanation.
M.A.P. Moretz
Muscular System 2017/2018

Chicken Wing Dissection Table

Use front and back of one piece of paper for your table
# Type of Description AND Function Location
Tissue(s) (color, length, texture, etc.) use directional and regional terms to
describe location (deep/superficial,
lateral/medial, proximal/distal,
anterior/posterior) and describe
attachment locations when applicable
1. Skin

2. Fat

3. Muscle

4. Tendon

5. Ligament

6. Blood
Vessel

7 Cartilage

8 Bone