======Mouse Dissection======


<WRAP right box>
**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
\\
**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
\\


**Alternative titles:** Exploring Mammalian Anatomy Through Mouse Dissection
</WRAP>

====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  *Follow instructions provided in the links below.



====Links==== 
Mouse dissection - Unisciel: 
{{youtube>KYSRjtYjiHA?}}\\

Mouse Dissection || Of Mice and Men [EDU] - 
Silvergrass Institute: 
{{youtube>RRs59csAQws?}}\\

📄 Dissection lab - Charlotte Powley: [[https://myportfolio.warwick.ac.uk/view/view.php?id=206319]]\\

📄 Virtual Simulation of Mouse Anatomy and Procedural Techniques - PMC PubMed Central: [[https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3753786/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Compare mouse anatomy with rat anatomy to note differences such as the presence of a gallbladder.
  * Use diagrams to trace digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems.
  * Conduct a comparative study with other vertebrate dissections (frog, bird, or fish).



====Safety Precautions====
  * Gloves and a lab coat required.
  * Handle scissors and scalpels with care; always cut away from yourself.
  * Pin back tissues carefully to avoid injury and damage to organs.
  * Treat the specimen with respect—it was once a living animal.
  * Dispose of the specimen and waste according to lab procedures.
  * Wash hands and disinfect tools and trays thoroughly after the dissection.




====Questions to Consider====
  * What is the largest organ in the mouse’s anatomy and why? (The intestines, as they provide surface area for nutrient absorption and water extraction.)
  * Why do rats lack a gallbladder while mice have one? (Rats produce bile continuously due to their larger liver and diet, whereas mice rely on bile storage in the gallbladder.)
  * How does blood flow through the mammalian circulatory system? (It is a closed, double-loop system: oxygenated blood flows from lungs to the left heart and body, while deoxygenated blood returns to the right heart and lungs.)
  * What adaptive advantages do mammals have compared to other vertebrates? (Live birth instead of egg-laying, fur for insulation, and four strong limbs for stability and mobility.)
  * How are the circulatory and respiratory systems protected in mammals? (By the ribcage, muscles, and skin which provide structural support, cushioning, and barriers to damage and infection.)