Sheep Dissection

PICTURES FROM MY SECOND SHEEP BRAIN DISSECTION

A COLLEAGUE BROUGHT A SHEEP BRAIN, FRESH FROM THE BUTCHER, TO

SCHOOL FOR ME TO DISSECT. THE BRAIN WAS SOFT AND SQUISHY, KIND

OF LIKE COTTAGE CHEESE. IT GRADUALLY FELL APART THE MORE

WE EXPLORED IT.THE DISSECTION IN THESE PICTURES,

MY SECOND ONE, WAS DONE ON A PRESERVED SHEEP BRAIN – EASIER TO WORK WITH BUT IT FELT MORE LIKE A

MODEL THAN THE “REAL” THING.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

THE MENINGES, A STRONG, TRANSPARENT COVERING, SURROUNDS AND PROTECTS THE CORTEX.

WITH THE MENINGES PEELED BACK YOU CAN SEE THE GYRI (THE FOLDS) AND SULCI (THE GROOVES).

SPLITTING THE BRAIN DOWN THE MIDDLE EXPOSES THE RIGHT AND LEFT HEMISPHERES, WHICH MIRROR ONE ANOTHER.

ONE HEMISPHERE UP CLOSE. THE BRAIN STEM IS THE WHITE MATTER ON THE BOTTOM, EXTENDING OUT TO THE RIGHT.

CENTER AREA CONTAINS A NUMBER OF MAJOR PARTS. JUST ABOVE THE BRAIN STEM IS THE CEREBELLUM, THE

TREE-LIKE STRUCTURE ON THE RIGHT.

CORPUS CALLOSUM, HIPPOCAMPUS, AMYGDALA, THALAMUS, HYPOTHALAMUS, PINEAL GLAND,

PITUITARY GLAND AND CEREBELLUM.

OUTER PORTION OF THE CEREBELLUM, UP CLOSE.

TREE-LIKE STRUCTURE OF THE INSIDE OF THE CEREBELLUM, ALSO SAID TO RESEMBLE CAULIFLOWER.