Rat Lab Vocab

Rat Disection Vocab :)

Anterior

toward the head

Posterior

toward the tail

Dorsal

toward the backbone

Ventral

toward the belly

Lateral

toward the side

Medial

toward the midline

Proximal

lying near the point of reference

Distal

lying further from the point of reference

Transverse(cross section)

perpendicular to the long axis of the body

Sagittal

a longitudeinal section separating the body into right and left sides

Frontal

a longitudinal section dividing the specimen into dorsal and ventral parts

Nostril

allows air into the trachea; found at the most anterior point of the rat’s body

Vibrissae

whiskers(stiff hairs); extremely sensitive to touch and possibly to changes in air pressure

Pinnae

external ears; sense sound

Forelimbs

front legs used for grasping and holding`

Hind limbs

back legs used for running, climbing, jumping; more powerful than forelimbs

Digits

finger-like projections on limbs(5 on each limb)

Digital Pads

swollen thickenings of skin located at the tips and bases of the digits

Foots Pads

six swollen thickenings of skin located in the sole of each foot

Urethral Aperture

opening for release of urinary waste in females

Urethral Aperture

opening for release of urinary waste in females

Vaginal Aperture

female genital opening; leads to vagina and uteri

Anus

posterior opening located at the base of tail in males and females for excretion of solid waste

Urogenital Aperture

opening of the penis; discharges urinary waste and sperm

Scrotum

a double pouch that contains the two testes

Mammary Papillae

12 nipples of female used for nursing young

Tail

balancing organ; about ¾ the length of the rat; covered in bristles and scales

Esophagus

muscular tube, dorsal to the trachea, used to pass food from the mouth to the stomach

Tongue

elongated muscular structure visible upon the floor of the mouth

Hard Palate

anterior portion of the palate located in the roof of the mouth; bony

Soft Palate

posterior portion of the palate; muscular

Molars

teeth for chewing

Incisors

teeth for biting

Diaphragm

muscular wall that moves to full and empty the lungs of air

Trachea

windpipe; prominent banded tube that leads from the neck to the lungs

Larynx

voice box; located at the top of the trachea

Lungs

consists of 4 lobes; organ used for exchange of gases from bloodstream

Heart

major organ of the circulatory system; consists of left and right atria and ventricles

Atria

sac-like portions of heart that receives the blood

Ventricles

muscular portion of heart that pumps blood out

Thymus

gland responsible for stablishing immune system and T-cell dvelopment

Caecum

sac-like tube that forks off of the small intestine where the large intestine meets

Rectum

tube that extends from the large intestine to the outside of the rat

Liver

regulates blood glucose; makes bile

Bile

digestive juice; helps break down fat molecules

Stomach

mixes food with digestive juices

Small Intestines

where most of nutrient absorption takes place

Large Intestine

removes water from undigested food, prepares feces for defecation

Mesentery

thin membranous tissue that holds organs in place

Pancreas

secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream; releases digestive enzymes into small intestine

Spleen

reservoir for blood; filter blood; manufactures white blood cells

Abdominal Cavity

area posterior to the diaphragm, contains internal organs

Thoracic Cavity

area anterior to the diaphragm, contains heart and lungs

Kidney

major excretory organ, removes wastes from blood

Ureters

transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder

Urinary Bladder

temporary storage of urine

Ovaries

female gonads that produce female gametes, and female sex hormones

Uterine Horns(Uteri)

site of rat embryo development; allows for multiple births

Testes

male gonads the produce sperm and male sex hormones

Prostate Gland

secretions responsible for the activiation of sperm

Penis

discharges urine and sperm

Glottis

the opening to the trachea

Epiglottis

prevents food from entering the trachea

Median(lateral lobe)

located atop the liver, identified by a central cleft

Left Lateral Lobe

large and partially covered by the stomach

Right Lateral Lobe

partially divided into an anterior and posterior lobule, hidden from view by the median lobe

Caudate Lobe

small, folds around the esophagus and the stomach seen most easily when liver is raised

Bile Duct

a small tube that connects the various lobes of the liver and carries bile to the small intestines

Peristalsis

food is pushed forward in the esophagus by the rhythmic contractions of its walls

Cardiac Sphincter

the opening between the stomach and the esophagus

Pyloric Sphincter

the attachment between the stomach and the intestine

Duodenum

part of small intestines (first)

Ileum

part of the small intestines (second)

Jejunum

part of the small intestines (third)

Urethra

carries urine from the bladder to the exterior

Epididymus

a coiled tube on the surface of the testis which colects and stores sperm cells

Vas Deferens

moves sperm from the epididymus to the urethra

Seminal Vesicles

glands located to the left and right of the urinary bladder

Oviducts

connects the ovaries and uterine horns