Sheep Brain Dissection

Anterior (white), cerebrum (yellow), cerebellum (green), posterior (black), brain stem (red) 

During this lab, we dissected a sheep brain. Upon setting up our station, we identified the meninges surrounding the brain, which is there to protect the brain and spinal cord. After removing the meninges, we located the anterior and posterior sides, as well as the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The cerebrum serves in higher brain function such as action and thought, the cerebellum received information from sensory systems, the spinal cord, and other parts of the brain, as well as regulates motor movement. We then cut the brain in half longitudinally and were able to see clearly the difference between gray and white matter. Gray matter contains the cell bodies, dendrites, and axon terminals, whereas white matter connects the different parts of gray matter with axons. From there, we located the thalamus, hypothalamus, optic nerve, medulla oblangata, pons, midbrain and corpus callosum.

Medulla oblangata (Orange), pons (blue), midbrain (black), thalamus (yellow), hypothalamus (white),  optic nerve (green), corpus callosum (red)