What is Dissection?

Dissection is the process of cutting up the tissue of a dead or live animal or plant, to do anatomical studies and surgical treatments. The purpose of dissection is to learn more about the overall structure of organs and organ systems and thereby understand the physiology of the organism.

Importance of Dissection

The majority of educational instructors and professionals agree that dissection provides an unrivaled practical learning experience. A dissection offers learning opportunities that are incomparable to those offered by a textbook session or lecture. Dissection brings together many of the things that students have read and heard about the subject and allows them to see it live. This unique, hands-on learning environment is superior to secondhand teaching strategies for transferring knowledge and understanding of anatomy.

Seeing organs and learning how they function within a living species can help students gain a better understanding of biological systems. Dissection-based anatomical investigations can aid in knowledge acquisition, subject matter comprehension, and the ability to recall the biological science underlying the specimen.

While there are considerable differences between the complexities of the human body and those of other animals, the majority of internal systems function in comparable ways. Concerning organ arrangement and interrelationship with surrounding tissue, the internal structure of a small animal can be compared to a simplified human body. Frogs are widely used in dissection to show the organ systems of a complex species. The position and arrangement of organs in frogs are comparable enough to those in humans to provide insight into the internal processes of the human body.

Dissection in history

During the first half of the third century B.C., two Greeks, Herophilus of Chalcedon and his younger contemporary Erasistratus of Ceos, became the first and last ancient scientists to perform systematic dissections of human cadavers. Their anatomical and physiological findings were remarkable.  Aristotle had dissected animals in the previous century, and other Greeks had partially dissected animals in earlier ages, and later, Galen and others systematically dissected diverse species in the 2nd century A.D. However, it does not appear that ancient scientists ever began systematic human dissection.

What are the sources of dissection specimens?

Where can you get dissection specimens? The majority of the animals used in dissection are wild animals. This includes frogs, sharks, salamanders, birds, turtles, snakes, fish, and the majority of invertebrates. Abattoirs and animal farms provide other dissection animals, such as neonatal piglets.

Basic instruments used for dissection

Basic dissection devices include dissecting scissors, scalpels, forceps or tweezers, and straight and curved needles. For more complex dissections requiring precision, and advanced dissection tool-set would be preferable. Scissors are the ideal tools for dissection. They are easy to use because the cutting edge is sharp enough to pierce animal shells and they're not too tight or loose. Most animals, including frogs, can be dissected with these precise, fine-pointed scissors.

Lab Equipments for dissection

• Dissecting scissors
• Blades and scalpels
• Dissection forceps
• Dissection sets
• Dissecting pins
• Dissection probes
• Dissection fluids
• Dissecting pads

Frog dissection

In science, frogs are excellent model organisms for studying development, anatomy, physiology, and behavior. They're commonly used as model animals in biology classrooms.  Frog dissection is a way to learn about the anatomy of vertebrates and adult body systems.   The anatomy of the frog allows for discussions regarding adaptations and how structural features are connected to their functions. The position and arrangement of the organs found in frogs are comparable enough to those found in humans to provide knowledge of the internal processes of the human body.

Human dissection

The dissection of a deceased human body to examine its anatomical structure is known as autopsy. In pathology and forensic medicine, the autopsy is done to ascertain the cause of death in humans. Medical students in medical colleges or medical schools perform comprehensive dissections of both fresh and preserved dead bodies of adults and children as part of their coursework in anatomy, pathology, and forensic medicine. 

Things to do during dissection

• When dissecting, wear eyeglasses, an apron, and latex or rubber gloves.
• Specimens should be immersed in a formalin solution with a very low concentration of formaldehyde to ensure the specimen is clean.
• Tissue should be dissected with sharp equipment such as scissors and scalpels.
• Keep the instrument's tip down and away from our body when carrying it.
• Always cut away from our body, not toward it.
• Following dissecting, wash hand thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Context and Applications

This topic is significant in the studies of medicine and in the exams of school, graduate, and post-graduate levels, especially for Bachelors in Zoology/Botany and Masters in Zoology/Botany.

Practice Problems

Question 1: Who performed the first dissection of human cadavers?

1. Herophilus
2. Aristotle
3. Galen
4. None of the above

Answer: Option 1 is correct.

Explanation: During the first half of the third century B.C., two Greeks, Herophilus of Chalcedon and his younger contemporary Erasistratus of Ceos, became the first and last ancient scientists to perform systematic dissections of human cadavers.

Question 2: Most educational instructors and professionals believe that the practical learning experience of dissection is unrivaled. True or false?

1. True
2. False
3. Cannot be said

Answer: Option 1 is correct.

Explanation: Most professors and educational instructors believe that learning through practicals is a better approach.

Question 3: Which is the greatly used model animal for the comparative study with humans during dissection?

1. Pig
2. Frog
3. monkey
4. None of the above

Answer: Option 2 is correct.

Explanation:  The position and arrangement of the organs found in frogs are comparable enough to those found in humans to provide knowledge of the internal processes of the human body.

Question 4: Which of the following is included in the importance of dissection?

1. Assists students in learning about animal anatomy
2. Educates students about the interrelationships between tissues and organs
3. Provides a hands-on learning environment for students
4. All of the above

Answer: Option 4 is correct.

Explanation: Dissection brings together many of the things that students have read and heard about the subject and allows them to see it live. This unique, hands-on learning environment is superior to secondhand teaching strategies for transferring knowledge and understanding of anatomy. Seeing organs and learning how they function within a living species can help students gain a better understanding of biological systems.

Question 5: Which of the following is a tool used in dissection?

1. Tweezers
2. Scalpels
3. Pins
4. All of the above

Answer: Option 4 is correct.

Explanation: Dissecting scissors, scalpels, forceps or tweezers, straight and curved needles, pins and pipets are all basic instruments used in dissection.