Animal Physiology lab

Home page of Dr. David S. Richard

BI: 311W. Animal Physiology Laboratory
Fall 2003

This lab section is based upon a number of quite intricate lab experiments. You will turn in three sets of lab exercises, and four papers which will be extensive and rigorously evaluated. You will work in groups of two, and will work together on the papers much as if you were collaborators in a research project.
The lab exercises are to be handed in individually. Each lab exercise will be worth 5%.
Papers are to be produced in the format of The Journal of Insect Physiology with a title, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion. Even if no results were obtained, it should be possible to predict results and discuss these predictions. In these papers, you should bring in information from the lectures and the literature to supplement your discussions and conclusions. However, be concise, and remember to reference correctly.
Each paper will be worth 15%. You will have two-weeks from each lab to hand in the papers.
Since the quality of the paper is as important as the laboratory work, time is available to discuss them with me during unscheduled lab times after each major lab experiment.
Since the format and requirements for the lab reports may be unfamiliar to you, I will review and grade the first draft before handing it back for a rewrite. The second draft will be graded as is. This option is only available for the first write-up as an introduction to the requirements of the section, thereafter, I will grade what you hand in. Check out the sheet below for a guide as to how to write this report.
The lab reports will therefore count for 75% of your final grade for the lab, the remaining 25% will be assessed upon evaluations of each other in your lab groups (15%), and my evaluation of your performance in the labs (10%). There will be a 15% penalty for each unexcused absence from the laboratory.

Sept 2	Orientation. Equipment. EEGs/polygraph. Lessons 3 and 4.	Lab exercises due Sept 9
Sept 9	Sciatic nerve preparation from frogs for the examination of resting and action potentials.	First draft of paper due Sept 16. Full paper due Sept 23.
Sept 16	No scheduled lab exercise- data analysis and discussion.
Sept 23	Electromyography. Lessons 1 and 2.	Lab exercises due Sept 30
Sept 30	Nerve muscle physiology. Gastrocnemius/sciatic nerve preparation.	Full paper due Oct 14
Oct 7	No scheduled lab exercise- data analysis and discussion.
Oct 14	Respiratory function. Lessons 8 and 12.	Lab exercises due Oct 28
Oct 21	Midterm Break
Oct 28	Frog heart. The effect of temperature on the pacemaker. The effects of acetylcholine and epinephrine. Vagal block.	Full paper due Nov 11
Nov 4	No scheduled lab exercise- data analysis and discussion.
Nov 11	Human Cardiopulmonary Physiology EKG, blood pressure, pulse and heart sounds. Develop experimental approach to data collection.	Full paper covering Nov 11, 18 and 25 labs due Dec 2nd
Nov 18	Diving Reflexes.
Nov 25	Exercise physiology. In the gym.
Dec 2nd	No scheduled lab exercise- data analysis and discussion.
Dec 9th	Evaluations and wrap-up	Final papers due

Rana pipiens exposed to show the sciatic nerves

Students measure Gasctocnemius muscle action

To Animal Physiology lecture

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