preview

Red Eared Slider Lab Report

Better Essays

Introduction The heart serves an important purpose within the body, pumping blood throughout the circulatory system to supply all parts of the body with vital nutrients and molecules. It pumps oxygen and nutrient rich blood to be exchanged for carbon dioxide, which is then pumped to the lungs and eliminated from the body. The movement of blood throughout the body is due to the heart’s ability to push blood along the circulatory system at a steady, unfaltering rate. This rate, known as heart rate, is regulated and can be altered at a moment’s notice by signaling within the body and heart itself. In vertebrates, the autonomic nervous system controls and regulates heart rate. The autonomic nervous system is divided into two subunits, the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nerve that innervates the heart is the vagus nerve. In this laboratory experiment, the regulation of heart rate was observed by studying a certain breed of turtle, the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). Both chemical and electric signaling can influence the components of the nervous …show more content…

Though data from vagal stimulation was disregarded, it is still important to mention the responses that should have been elicited had the vagus nerve been stimulated properly. The vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) is a part of the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce heart rate when given enough electrical stimulation. Vagal escape occurs when the vagus nerve has been stimulated to the point of the nerve ceasing to repolarize, and then resuming sending action potential for heartbeat. The result is a cease or slowing of heart rate temporarily, and then heart rate starting up again. When atropine is applied to the heart along with vagal stimulation, the atropine blocks any response the vagus nerve should send (Sarnoff et al,

Get Access