Sheep Brain And Cow Eye Dissection

Investigative Question: How is the physiology of the sheep brain & cow eye correlated to the anatomy seen during the dissection of the two specimen?

The physiology of the sheep brain and cow eye are correlated to the anatomy seen during the dissection of the two specimens because form follows function. Meaning that all animals have specific differences in their anatomy and physiology that helps them to be able to adapt to their daily surroundings. For example, cows have tapetum lucidum which helps them to be able to see at night for their protection from predators or injuries. Sheep have larger olfactory bulbs that enhance their sense of smell which helps to protect them from any predators, or environmental dangers such as a fire.

Introduction:

The sheep brain and cow eye are used to study human anatomy because they’re structurally comparable to that of a human eye and brain. They are also more readily available to use in classes such as these.

• What is the significance of the investigative question?

As I stated in my answer to the investigative question, anatomy (structure) and physiology (function) are correlated because form follows function. According to David Shier, the author of Holes Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology, “a particular body part’s function depends on the way the part is constructed” (2015). This means that the sheep brain and cow eye are structured in a way that makes functioning of these organs possible.

Hypothesis: (2 point)
• What were your initial thoughts about the about the answer to the investigative question?

My initial thought about how to answer the investigative question was to observe the similarities, and the differences between the human eye and human brain versus the cow eye and the sheep brain.
Methods: (3 points)
• What types of observations did you look at?

Sheep brain:

I looked at the color, texture, shape, and size of the

The second observation I made was about the color of the brain. The cerebrum of the sheep brain was covered in gray matter, and it had a pinkish tone to it. The third observation had to do with the shape of the brain which I thought looked elongated. My final observation was about the texture of the brain, with and without the dura mater. The dura mater was very tough and hard to cut through which surprised me, because I thought it would be thinner. Then I realized that it was so tough because it was used for the protection of the brain. The rest of the brain underneath the thick covering was squishy, and slippery.

Cow eye:

The first thing I noticed about the cow eye is that it wasn’t as big as I thought it would be, considering the size of their heads versus our heads. I also noticed that the pupil of the cow eye is more oval shaped than the circular shape of a human’s pupil. Finally, I expected the eye to feel rubbery but instead it felt firm.

• Include dissection photos – make sure you label major structures and include yourself in a few of the pictures. In at least one of the photos in which you are in, your mask needs to be removed so that you can be identified and compared with the picture you provided in your introduction worksheet. Failure to do this may result in zero points for this