Leech Lab

       So, awhile ago we did an online lab on a leech to see how the neuron works. We did a virtual lab because the equipment is expensive and its a whole lot cleaner than doing it our selfs. 

equipment needed:

      feather, probe, forceps, scissors, pins, scalpel, dissection tray, leech tank, 20% ethanol, leech tongs, dissection microscope, micromanipulator, oscilloscope, and a leech

The lab takes you step by step of what to do. Here is the link. However, I could explain what is done, real quick.

      First grab the leech and dip it in 20% ethanol. The ethanol works as an anesthesia.  Then stretch the leech and pin the head and tail down. In other words both ends. After doing so make a cut down the middle. Be careful not to cut too deep, and pin the right and left side. Grab the forceps and remove the guts and internal structures. Now you could see the nerve cord. Grab the microscope and place the leech in it. There is swelling in the sinus and it contains the segmental ganglia. Cut a window in body wall. Remove the strip that contains a ganglion. After that isolate a section by making parallel cuts across the leech. flip the piece of skin and pin it. Cut the sinus and tease apart the sinus to expose ganglion. Now you can see individual cells under the microscope. Put the electrode over the ganglion and find a cell. Now its time to identify the cell by using a feather, probe and forceps and see what the leech responds to. 

Data

   On my first cell the cell was weak since it responded to the feather. The next one was strong because of the forceps and the last one was medium responding to the probe.

   In conclusion I have viewed a little more on the nervous system by doing this lab. This lab demonstrates and shows parts of the nervous system such as a ganglia. 

Sense of Smell

In class we conducted the same experiment to see if the hypothesis would be proven again. The hypothesis was, "Females would detect and identify the scent of the objects more."
We tested five females and five males, the results were that females detected and identified more scents. So over all the conclusion is that females do detect and identify scents more than males.

Skeletal Cartilage

Skeletal Cartilage contains no blood vessels or nerves.

            3 different kinds:

 1.Hyaline
    The most abundent skeletal cartilige and it provides support, flexiblity, and resilience.  

         -Articular- covers the ends of long bones.

         -Costal- connects the ribs to the sternum.

         -Respiratory- Makes up the larynx and rienforces air passages. 

         -Nasal- supports the nose

     

 2.Elastic

      Elastic cartilage is similar to hyaline but contains elastic fibers. For example the epiglottis. 

 3.Fibrocartilage
       Fibrocartilage is compressed with great tensile strength contains collagen fibers. Such as the menisci of the knee and intervertebral discs.

The purpose of cartilige is to protect the bones and joints. Cartilage keeps the bones and joints from rubbing against each other. In other words cartilage keeps the bones and joints strong.

Bones

The functions of the bones is to support, protect, movement, mineral storage, and blood cell formation. The bones start to form at eight weeks of embryo. They develop from fibrous membrane and form by replacing hyaline cartilage. Bones still are forming through early childhood.

Integument system

A prezi on the integumentary system. 

The Bionic Body

The Bionic Body

This article is about people discovering ways to grow human tissues. Fifeteen years ago Bob Langer and colleague Joseph Vacanti discovered a new process of growing human tissues. However they couldn't work on publishing their work. Now they are considers the "Father's of the Feild of tissue engineering." Langer, Vaconti and Charles (brother of Langer) and researchers around the world pursue the day when replacement tissues and organs are availible and custom made for those who need them. This study will eventually lead to lab grown cartilage, blood vessels, cardiac valves and muscle tissue. Which means custom made hearts, livers, breasts, corneas, kidneys, bone marrow and bladders. The first step to this happening is unlocking the biochemical signals that influence growth and development and paying special attention to the physical environment. How would all this happen? It is called scaffold. Scaffold is biodegradable materials, which cells can be seeded on. Cells are seeded two to three millimeters apart. Then it is bathed in nutritive media. After that scaffolding can be molded in to any shape or size. Once they get it just right it will be able to get implanted to organs and the body will react to it and start growing new tissues.
Dr. Gail Naughton, president of Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. patented a container called bioreactor. That container stimulates conditions inside a healthy body. That causes physical stress on cells and then tissues naturally become more strong.
NASA has also found an important lesson by cultivating cells in weightless space.tissues that form like sheets grow better under forces and cells that are destined to be three dimmensional structure performs better in micro gravity.
All these are fantastic discoveries especially since in December 2000, 74,000 Americans were waiting on an organ. I believe that number has increased and will continue to increase. And if some how one day organs are custom made the number will decrease. As a result it would make it better world. I hope it does happen one day.

Body Regions