Pig Heart Anatomy and Function

Pig's Heart Anatomy and Function

• The pig's heart and the human heart consist of four chambers
• The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the superior and inferior vena cava
• The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs via the pulmonary artery
• The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary veins
• The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the body through the aorta

Heart Valves

• Valves prevent the backflow of blood in the heart
• The tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle, and ensures blood flows in the correct direction
• The pulmonary valve is between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery, controlling the flow of oxygen-poor blood to the lungs via the pulmonary trunk
• The bicuspid (mitral) valve regulates blood flow between the left atrium and left ventricle
• The aortic valve is between the left ventricle and aorta and is the final valve encountered by oxygenated blood as it exits the heart

Major Blood Vessels

• The aorta is the main artery carrying oxygenated blood to the body
• The pulmonary artery sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs
• The pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium
• The superior/inferior vena cava brings deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium

Frog External Anatomy

• Main body divisions are the head, trunk, and limbs
• The tympanic membrane is the eardrum for hearing
• Nares (nostrils) facilitate breathing
• Eyes have a nictitating membrane that helps keep the eyes moist

Frog Buccal Cavity

• The tongue is sticky flips outward to catch prey, and is attached at the front
• Vomerine and Maxillary teeth help hold the prey
• The glottis leads to the lungs for breathing
• Eustachian tubes equalize ear pressure

Frog Visceral Organs

• The liver is large, brown, and produces bile
• The heart has three chambers: two atria and one ventricle
• Lungs facilitate breathing
• The stomach and intestines digest food

Frog Lower Digestive Tract

• The stomach digests food
• The small intestine absorbs nutrients
• The large intestine stores waste
• The cloaca is a common exit for digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems

Frog Head Anatomy

• The snout & nostril are for breathing
• The nictitating membrane is a protective, transparent eyelid
• The eye supports vision
• The tympanum functions as an external ear for hearing

Frog Trunk Anatomy

• The forelimbs, specifically the upper arm, forearm, and manus (hand), offer support and movement
• The hump is a part of the back structure
• The cloacal opening (vent) serves as the exit for waste and reproductive fluids

Frog Hindlimbs Anatomy

• The thigh, shank, and ankle (tarsus) are key leg parts for movement
• The prehallux & toes (digits) help in jumping and swimming
• Webbing assists in swimming efficiently

Frog Teeth & Mouth Structures

• Vomerine teeth are two small patches of teeth on the roof of the mouth that help grip prey but are not used for chewing
• Maxillary teeth are a row of tiny teeth along the upper jaw, used to hold prey
• Upper and lower lip folds form mouth boundaries and help seal during feeding
• Sulcus marginalis is a groove near the mouth's edge that aids in directing food toward the esophagus

Frog Respiratory & Vocalization Structures

• Internal nares (choanae) are openings connecting the nasal cavity to the buccal cavity, which allows air to pass through the nostrils to the lungs
• The glottis is a slit-like opening to the lungs that allowing air passage during respiration
• The laryngeal prominence houses the vocal cords and play a role in sound production
• The opening of the vocal sac, found only in male frogs, leads to vocal sacs that amplify mating calls

Frog Digestive System Openings

• The esophagus entrance is a muscular opening at the back of the mouth, connects to the esophagus, allowing food to pass into the stomach
• The tongue is a muscular, sticky organ attached at the front of the mouth that can flip outward quickly to catch prey

Frog Sensory & Pressure Regulation Structures

• Eyeball (orbital) prominence refers to bulging areas where the that push down into the mouth cavity, helping to move food toward the esophagus when swallowing
• The eustachian opening connects the mouth to the middle ear, which helps to balance air pressure on both sides of the eardrum
• The pulvinar rostrale is a structure at the roof of the mouth that may assist in manipulating food
• Median & lateral subrostral fossae refer to depressions in the roof of the mouth, that possibly aid in prey manipulation
• Tuberculum prelinguale & prelingual fossa are small bumps and grooves near the tongue, that are possibly involved in food movement
• Tuberculum laterale is a lateral structure in the mouth with function that is unclear but may play a role in feeding mechanics

Frog Circulatory & Respiratory System

• The heart is a three-chambered organ (two atria, one ventricle) which pumps oxygenated and deoxygenated blood
• The pericardial sac is a thin membrane enclosing the heart and providing protection
• The lungs are a pair of small, sac-like organs used for respiration; frogs can also breathe through their skin (cutaneous respiration)
• The liver is the largest organ, which produces bile (for digestion), storing glycogen, and detoxifying blood

Frog Digestive System

• The gall bladder is a small greenish sac that bile and releases it into the intestines to aid in fat digestion
• The hepato-duodenal omentum is a membrane which connects the liver to the duodenum and pancreas, supporting these structures
• The stomach is a muscular organ that stores and breaks down food with digestive enzymes
• The pyloric constriction is a narrowing at the end of the stomach which regulates food passage into the small intestine
• The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine, where most digestion occurs
• The small intestine (ileum) is the long coiled part of the digestive tract where nutrients are absorbed into the blood
• The large Intestine refers to the wider but shorter section that absorbs water and compacts waste into feces
• The cloaca is a common exit chamber for the digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems

Frog Excretory System

• The kidney is a bean-shaped organ that filters waste from the blood and produces urine
• The urinary bladder is a sac-like organ that stores urine before it is excreted through the cloaca

Frog Endocrine & Lymphatic System

• The adrenal gland refers to a small gland located on top of the kidney that produces hormones like adrenaline
• The spleen is a small, dark-colored organ that helps in blood filtration and immune response
• The peritoneum is a thin membrane which lines the body cavity providing protection and reducing friction between organs

Frog Male Reproductive System

• The testis are small, oval-shaped structures in males that produce sperm
• The fat body (corpora adiposa) are yellowish finger-like structures that store energy and provide insulation, which is especially important during hibernation and reproduction

Frog Supportive Structures

• The mesentery is a thin, transparent membrane which holds the intestines in place and vessels for nutrient absorption
• The spinal cord & trunk vertebrae pertains to part of the nervous system, providing support and control over body movements

Frog Digestive System Key Parts

• The esophagus is a muscular tube connecting the mouth to the stomach, which aids in pushing food down
• The stomach is a J-shaped organ which digests food and has three parts: cardiac end, fundus, and pyloric end
  • The cardiac end refers to the upper part of the stomach which connects to the esophagus
  • The fundus is the main body of the stomach, where food is stored and broken down by gastric juices
  • The pyloric End is the lower, narrower part which leads to the small intestine
• The duodenum first part of the small intestine, is where most digestion takes place with the help of bile and pancreatic enzymes
• The ileum refers to the coiled portion of the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed into the blood
• The mesentery is a membranous structure which holds the intestines in place and contains blood vessels for nutrient transport
• The large intestine is the wider but shorter section of the intestine that absorbs water and compacts waste into feces

Frog Accessory Digestive Organs

• The liver produces bile to help break down fats
• The gallbladder is where bile and releases it into the duodenum
• The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and hormones (like insulin) to regulate sugar metabolism

Frog Excretory & Reproductive System

• The cloaca is a common chamber where digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems merge and fluid exit

Male Frog Anatomy

• The fat body/Corpus adiposum stores fat to supply energy
• The adrenal gland, is a small gland which produces adrenaline and rests on the kidneys
• Sperm is produced in the testes, which rests on the postcava which carries deoxygenated blood to the heart
• The kidneys filter wastes from the blood and help form urine
• The vas deferens, also known as the mesonephric or wolffian duct, transports sperm from the testes to the cloaca.
• The cloaca is a channel in which waste, reproductive cells and urine leaves the body

Female Frog Anatomy

• Mature eggs are released into the oviduct, that reside in the ovaries
• These eggs will then be conveyed from the ovary, to the cloaca, by the oviduct
• The ovisac is where the eggs are temporarily stored before being laid.
• The ostium is the opening of the oviduct that captures eggs released from the ovary
• The cloaca is a channel in which waste, reproductive cells and urine leaves the body