NAME: Christan Y.
Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
STM 007: GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
2ND PERFORMANCE TASK
CHICKEN WING DISSECTION: ANIMAL TISSUES
Introduction
Chicken wing dissections are conducted to explore the structure and function of
muscles, bones and joints, which are comparable to that of a human arm, they have
many of the same structures due to their shared evolutionary history as vertebrates.
Skeletal muscles are attached to bones, give shape to the body, generate heat, and
make movement possible. Skeletal muscles cannot function without the bones of the
skeletal system. Muscles pull on the bones in specific ways and with the guidance of
ligaments allow joints to flex or extend in a specific direction. The skeletal system is a
network of various living tissues, which provide protection for organs and give the
human body its structure. It is also the site of blood formation.
Whole chicken wings suitable for dissection can be purchased fresh from most
supermarkets and butchers or poultry suppliers that have passed relevant health
inspections. The chicken wings can be obtained some weeks beforehand and stored in
a freezer.
Before beginning the dissection, review the functions performed by the tissues
Objectives:
1. To examine the different types of tissues.
2. To familiarize and apply knowledge to actual animal tissues.
3. To practice dissection techniques.
Materials:
1. PPE – lab coat/apron (it is recommended to use plastic disposable aprons), safety
glasses and gloves)
2. Scalpels or blade
3. Scissors, forceps or tweezers
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
4. Dissecting boards covered in newspaper or cutting board/disposable foam
tray/paper plate
5. Paper towel
6. Disinfectant (Alcohol)
7. One raw chicken wing for each student. Chicken wings can be purchased at the
local supermarket in the ‘inexpensive’ family pack.
Handling specimens:
➢ Uncooked chicken sometimes carries bacteria like Salmonella, which can make
you sick if ingested. Do not consume any of the chicken from this dissection.
➢ If using frozen chicken wings defrost overnight in a refrigerator and use within 24
hours. Consistent with safe food handling procedures, all meat products should
be stored below 5 ºC prior to dissections.
➢ Good hygiene practices should be observed at all times: Keep hands away from
the mouth, nose, eyes and face during and after dissection and wash hands
immediately after handling dissection material.
➢ Please be sure to wear gloves while handling the chicken. When you remove your
gloves, turn them inside out as you pull them off, and wash your hands with soap
and warm water after completing your investigation.
➢ If any blood is associated with the chicken wings rinse them in cold running water.
➢ Use sharp cutting tools with adult supervision.
Procedure: (NOTE: DOCUMENTATION OF THE STUDENT DOING THIS ACTIVITY IS
REQUIRED)
Read the description of each of the tissues or organs and then begin the dissection
for that particular tissue/organ. In the box provided, insert your actual pictures and
pictures of your sketch of each tissue listed in this activity.
1. Place the chicken wing on the dissecting board or tray. Study the external
appearance and structure of the wing. Feel the skin that is covering the bones and
look for places where the feathers were attached.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
2. Identify the upper wing, the lower wing, and the wing tip of your specimen.
Figure 1: The external structures visible of the chicken wing.
SKIN – The skin is the external covering of the entire wing. The skin will have a web like
appearance between the bones. Look for evidence that the skin was covered with
feathers. Cut a slit in the skin covering the largest bone and joint.
Figure 2: Shows a cut of the skin that serves as the external cover of the entire wing.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
3. CONNECTIVE TISSUE - First lift a corner of the skin and, with tweezers or forceps,
peel it back gently from the muscle. Notice the shiny, thin, membrane that
surrounds the muscle and attaches the muscle to the skin. This is connective tissue.
SKETCH
Figure 3: Shows a peeled skin with connective tissue that attaches the skin to muscles.
4. MUSCLE TISSUE - Note the pink-orange bundles of fibers attached to the bone. This
is muscle tissue.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
Figure 4: Shows the two types of muscle tissue of the chicken wing.
5. FATTY TISSUE (ADIPOSE TISSUE)– Continue to peel back the skin slowly and gently
until you locate a tissue between the skin and muscle that is yellow in color and
greasy to the touch. If no fatty tissue can be found there, find a thick piece of skin
and proceed to cut through it to see if there is any fatty tissue. If the lab is utilizing
store-bought chicken wings, it is possible that little or no fat can be observed.
SKETCH
Figure 5: Show the peeled skin and the tissue between skin and muscle that is called Adipose Tissue.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
6. BLOOD VESSELS – With the skin peeled back, scan the surface of the skeletal
muscles for thin red tubes. These are blood vessels. Arteries and veins might also
be located in bundles of connective tissue with nerves.
SKETCH
Figure 6: Shows the tiny thin red tubes that is called the blood vessels.
7. TENDONS – Look at the top of the large bone. Notice the shiny white piece of
connective tissue that attaches skeletal muscle to bone. These are tendons.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
Figure 7: Shows the shiny white piece of connective tissue that attaches skeletal muscle to bone.
8. CARTILAGE – Examine the top of the large bone. Locate a pearly white hard tissue
found at the ends of the long bones. This is cartilage.
SKETCH
Figure 8: Shows the pearly white hard tissue that is called cartilage.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
9. BONE – Cut through the muscle with your scissors to expose the hard, white bone.
Bones are hard (but not solid) tissue made up primarily of calcium and phosphorus.
The scissors will not be able to cross-sect the bone. Ask the instructor to cut the
bone. Look into the cross-section of the bone; the mass of red tissue is red marrow.
It is the red marrow that manufactures red blood cells. Notice the bone
surrounding the red marrow. The bone itself in not solid, but is an asymmetrical
lattice work of calcium and phosphorus.
INSERT PICTURE OF THE MARROWOF INSERT PICTURE OF THE CROSS SECTION
YOUR SPECIMEN OF THE BONE OF YOUR SPECIMEN
Figure 9: Shows both red marrow and the cross section of the bone of the chicken wing.
10. NERVES – Nerves are usually found buried deep within an organism, often lying
close to long bones. Sometimes an artery, vein, and nerve are held together in one
bundle of connective tissue. Gently peel the muscle from the long bone and search
carefully for a thin white threadlike tissue. This is a nerve. If this does not work,
look for a bundle of connective tissue containing blood vessels. Gently pry it apart
and search for the nerve.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
Figure 10: Shows the nerve of the chicken wing.
11. LIGAMENTS – Cut through the skin and muscle down to the joint between the long
bone and the center bone. Locate the strong white bands of connective tissue that
connect the two bones together at the joint. This is a ligament.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
Figure 11: Shows the ligament of the chicken wing.
QUESTIONS:
1. How do the structures of the human and animal body (such as muscle tissue, fatty
tissue, skin, etc) help keep the internal environment relatively stable?
Answer: The structures of the human and animal body can help keep the internal
environment stable by doing their necessary function because in that way, it protects the
human and animals from the outside problem that may affect the internal environment
and also to keep it relatively stable.
2. The epithelium refers to what part of the chicken wing?
Answer: The epithelium refers to the skin that serves as the external cover of the entire
chicken wing.
3. What functions does the fatty tissue serve?
Answer: The functions that fatty/adipose tissue serve are to store energy in the form of
fat and also it insulates the body.
4. What part of the chicken wing is usually referred to as “meat”?
Answer: Muscles are part of chicken wing that is usually referred as meat.
5. What type of tissue connects bone to bone?
Answer: Ligaments are the type of tissue that connects bone to bone.
6. What type of tissue connects muscle to bone?
Answer: Tendons are the type of tissue that connects muscle to bone.
7. What type of tissue acts as a cushion between bones?
Answer: The type of tissue acts as a cushion between bones is called cartilage.
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
8. DOCUMENTATION
NAME: Christan Y. Tabia
SECTION: B1-G12-05-STEM
Clean up:
• Make sure all instruments are returned.
• All parts of the chicken wing as well as the disposable foam tray (if used) must be
wrapped in newspaper and placed in a dedicated plastic garbage bag along with
gloves and disposable aprons (if used). When all waste material has been collected,
double bag for disposal. Freeze material if unable to dispose of immediately.
• If blood is present on dissecting boards, scissors, forceps, probes and scalpels they
must be immediately soaked in disinfectant. Otherwise wash equipment in hot soapy
water, and rinse or place in a dishwasher to minimize handling.
• After washing, dissecting instruments can be soaked in 70% v/v alcohol for 20
minutes as an optional additional disinfectant and to avoid rusting.
• Dry all equipment thoroughly.
• Disinfect workplace and wash hands thoroughly.
References:
CLEAPSS. 2014. G268 Dissection: a guide to safe practice. Uxbridge UK http://science.cleapss.org.uk/Resource-
Info/G268-Dissection-a-guide-to-safe-practice.aspx (Subscription required.)
‘Dissection Safety: Policy and Procedures’, Flinn Scientific website,
https://www.flinnsci.com/api/library/Download/ff283257b11d41b4944af99241258cd7
(16 June 2016) Pearson Australia, 2011. Pearson Science 8 Student Book Australian Curriculum, Pearson Australia:
Port Melbourne, Vic.
