Layer One

This section shows the organs in Layer One of the the frog's body.

You are now at the first layer of the dissection. At this point you will be able to see the entire liver and heart.

The Liver in preserved (l) and pithed* (r) frogs.

The liver is a large, brownish colored organ covering most of the body cavity. In the pictures above it is circled by a yellow border.

*As we noted previously, a pithed frog has had its central nervous system destroyed (its spinal cord has been severed). It is technically dead, but some of its organs continue to function for a brief period. Examination of recently pithed frogs used to be more common in biology classrooms than it is today. At present, preserved frogs are more widely used.

The Heart in preserved (l) and pithed (r) frogs.

The heart is a small triangular shaped organ between the front legs and anterior to the liver. In the pictures above it is circled by a yellow border.

(2.6MB) Overview of Layer One

(600k) Beating Heart in a pithed frog
(Note that there is no sound in the this movie.)

Let's Practice: Layer One

You're now ready to proceed to the next step, Layer Two. Or, you can Return to the Main Menu, or go back to the Organs Sub-Menu.