Dissection Alternatives

"The [Illinois] General Assembly also finds that the remarkable progress of the last few decades has produced significant advances in computing and the graphic and representational arts, and that these developments have resulted in the creation of many new technologies for teaching anatomy, physiology, and other medical and biological sciences. In certain circumstances these new technologies are capable of providing an educational experience superior to dissection, and they have often proven to be less expensive and more humane."

- text of HB3254, Dissection Alternatives Act, which guarantees Illinois K-12 students access to dissection alternatives

This page suggests possible alternatives to laboratory exercises in BIO 104 and BIO 121, two UIUC courses that use dissection and vivisection. For more information about alternatives, their effectiveness, and their suppliers, see Resources. Please note that the courses and labs at UIUC change often, and this is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to alternatives at UIUC. If you have a question about what alternatives may be appropriate for a specific lab please let us know.

BIO 104: Animal Biology [1]

"Anatomy of Fetal Pig"

Objectives:

Identify external features of fetal pig
Dissect the fetal pig to find the internal organs
Identify organs
Describe how form and function are integrated in mammalian vertebrates

Alternatives:

Video: Dissection of Fetal Pig. Full-motion color video effectively demonstrate dissection techniques and explain anatomical features. Depending on religious belief, students may or may not find this to be a suitable alternative. 66 min. A JLM Visuals release.
CD-ROM: Fetal Pig from Science Works. The program contains detailed schematics of the major body systems, information on organ function and structure, and review questions. Students work at their own pace and most take readily to this form of teaching, often requesting to use the software in their own time for independent study.
Pictures: Dissecting a Porcine (Pig) Heart
CD-ROM: SimHeart (rat heart) is an interactive CD-ROM focusing on the mechanisms of the isolated cardiac muscle and the effects of cardio active drugs. All experiments are conducted on the so-called Langendorff heart.
CD-ROM: Virtual Heart (dog heart) was developed as an alternative to mammalian heart dissection in basic biology courses, based on two interactive QuickTime VR films. The user can rotate whole and dissected canine hearts in 3D space in real time, all based on QuickTime technology. With a click of the mouse the user can get information about any visible structure, including the internal chambers. Additional features include digital video of conventional and Doppler ultrasonic scans, waveform tracings and audio of normal and abnormal heart sounds, views of common cardiac pathologies, an animation of the cardiac cycle, microscopic and EM images of cardiac tissue, radiographs and an annotated ECG. The program includes a version of the QuickTime program to run the animations.
Chart: BioCam Concise Series: Sheep Brain/Pig Heart, Featuring striking full color photography of the dissected sheep brain/pig heart. The chart is clearly numbered to a key. Printed on both sides of stiff card stock, the chart is protected in its own plastic sleeve. Measures 8.5 x 11 inches.

"Heart and Mind"

A pig heart and sheep brains are dissected.

Objectives:

Understand anatomy of the mammalian circulatory system
Find and learn to recognize the major parts of the mammalian brain

Alternatives:

Video: Dissection & Anatomy of the Sheep Brain. Full-motion color videos effectively demonstrate dissection techniques and explain anatomical features. 22 min. From: Connecticut Valley Biological Supply Co., Inc. 800-628-7748
Chart: Biocam Concise Dissection Chart. Full color chart of a sheep brain. From: AAVS & HSUS.
Book: The Sheep Brain: A Photographic Series by C.H. Vanderwolf and Richard K. Cooley. Begins with a brief explanation of preparation methods, study suggestions and terminology, followed by 25 outstanding black and white photographs of the sheep brain. Each is fully labeled but unaccompanied by text. Seven additional photographs similarly cover cat, rat and monkey brains. From: Connecticut Valley Biological Supply Co., Inc. 800-628-7748

BIO 121: Ecology and Organismic Biology [2]

"Functional Morphology"

A rat is dissected.

Objectives:

Discover inter-relationship of structure and function of important systems of the vertebrate body
Observe the organization and the compositions of organ systems, where they are located, and their relationship to other systems, e.g., where blood flows, where food is processed

Alternative:

Video: The Anatomy of the Rat (Media Development Centre) suits growing demands for effective alternatives to teach vertebrate biology. It can both enhance the learning experience and reduce the unnecessary sacrifice of animal life. This comprehensive learning resource provides a detailed study of the functional relationship between organ systems in the rat, from gross morphology to microscopic detail. It also allows students to identify the biological features of evolutionary significance that determine the position of mammals and other classes in the vertebrate kingdom.

"Neuromuscular"

Objectives: Learn the mechanisms of neural activation in skeletal muscle by:

Identifying the ACT receptor as a ligand-gated ion channel distinct from voltage-gated channels underlying the action potential
Understanding the functions of agonists and antagonists on receptors for acetylcholine
Determining threshold and maximal stimuli and relating them to the all-or-none contraction of muscle fibers
Demonstrating summetar and tetanus

Currently a decerebrated spinally-pithed frog is used. Pithing is used to maintain a live frog but restrict the movements of the frog during the dissection. The central nervous system is destroyed by severing the head just behind the eyes and using a pithing needle to destroy the spinal cord.

Alternatives:

CD-ROM: SimNerv is an interactive computer software for simulating the frog sciatic nerve experiments, still often required of life science students. In realistic laboratory surroundings you can perform all standard experiments on the summation action potential of the peripheral nerves. You can set your own parameters and choose the sequence of experiments you prefer. Action potentials are calculated in accordance to the actual stimulation and recording parameters by a set of specifically designed mathematical algorithms which also account for a physiologically realistic variability of responses in different nerve preparations. Altogether, the situation closely resembles the real lab, and each user can decide which experiments he or she wants to do in which sequence.
CD-ROM: SimMuscle an interactive CD-ROM simulating the classic experiment on the sciatic nerve of a frog.

"Frog Cardiovascular Physiology"

Objectives:

Determine the site of action of a neurotransmitter and its agonist and antagonist
Understand the controlling mechanisms of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the heart
Understand the relationship of electrical and physical events in the heart

Currently a decerebrated spinally-pithed frog is used.

Alternatives:

Video-Disc: Experiments on Nervous Activity in the Frog Heart provides a brief overview of the anatomy and progression of an action potential. The action potential is interrupted by placing the first and second Stannius ligatures, after which the secondary and tertiary pacemaker centers take over. Electrical stimulation of the frog's ventricle and the gluteal musculature demonstrates that tetanic contractions cannot be induced in heart muscle, as opposed to skeletal muscle. Electrical stimulation of parasympathetic and sympathetic parts of the vagus nerve demonstrates characteristic changes in the action potential and nervous conduction in the heart.
CD-ROM: Frog Gastrocnemius muscle/sciatic nerve preparation The preparation is a physiology model used to introduce undergraduate students in a wide range of scientific disciplines to the underlying principles of nerve conduction and skeletal muscle contraction. The program contains: Introduction; Experimental Set-Up; Recruitment; Summation; Tetanic Contraction; Fatigue; Conduction Velocity. The presentation had previously been the subject of a CAL (Computer Aided Learning) package, which did not have the advantage of multimedia programming technique.
This item may be borrowed for up to 6 weeks through the Alternative Loan System of the International Network of Individuals and Campaigns for Humane Education (InterNICHE), free of charge.
Corresponding article: Tauck, David L.: Teaching action potentials with computer simulations instead of neurons. Humane Innovations and Alternatives 6: 395-397, 1992.

"Renal Physiology: Active Sodium Transport"

A similar lab is described here

Objective:

Investigate an epithelial model system

Alternative:

CD-ROM: Frog Skin An interactive, menu-driven program which simulates experiments and teaches the principles of the epithelial transport of ions. Background information describing the method, apparatus and physiological basis of the experiment is presented as text supported by high-resolution graphics. The 'Experiments' section allows the user to investigate either passive or active transport in the presence or absence of certain drugs and generates data based upon accepted mathematical models. In the passive transport experiment the user selects mucosal and serosal sodium and potassium concentrations and is presented with a voltage displayed on an analogue voltmeter, on the monitor, from which measurements may be taken. In the active transport experiment ion flux may be calculated from measurements taken using either a short circuit current technique or a radioactive tracer technique. In each case the results are presented in an attractive display from which measurements may be taken. This item is also available through the Alternatives Loan Program of Humane Society International, Inc. (HSI), Australian Office (http://www.hsi.org.au).

1 Fahrbach, S and Deem, L. 2002. Animal Biology 104 Laboratory Assignments. 2 Michael, M and Schoub, N. 2002. Bio 121: Ecology and Organismic Biology Laboratory Assignments.