Heart Rate

Piggy Heart

Snakes' Feat May Inspire Heart Drugs

The Article

 This article discusses an amazing break through for the human heart.
          A python has an extraordinary system. The python's internal organs double in size in a day. That means the python's metabolic rate and production of insulin and lipid go crazy. This happens after it swallows it's prey. Everything goes back to normal in a few days. This can help the human health when it comes to heart failure. The scientist say that a python expands its heart by enlarging existing cells with out creating new ones. This is called hypertrophy. Three fatty acids produce the enlargement of the organs. When injecting a mouse with the three fatty acids it produces the similar growth. The researchers say that this could help develop a way of delaying, preventing, treating, and reverse lots of hereditary and acquiring human diseases. Similar methods have been used in other medicines. Therefore, scientist have many hopes in these fatty acids to help the human health.

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.