Rabbit urogenital system
Photos and Text: Margaret Woods
The digestive tract is removed leaving the rectum still in place with no damage
to the aorta, vena cava, kidneys, and other structures. When examining the kidneys,
you find that the right kidney is anterior and superior to the left. A large
amount of fat had to be removed from around the kidneys so that the aorta and
vena cava could be revealed. There were no kidney abnormalities observed. My
mammal has two kidneys that are bean shaped. The hilus, renal artery, renal
vein, and ureters entering the kidneys were identified. The renal artery entered
the left kidney posterior to the renal vein and anterior to the renal vein and
the ureter. [See upper Figure ].
The left kidney was sectioned along its frontal plane. The inside of the kidney
is not extremely differentiated; however, the renal pelvis was able to be identified.
By looking at the inside of the kidney, it seems as if it has numerous papillae.
However, according to Craige, a rabbit's kidneys are not "lobulated".
Therefore, there is just a single renal papilla, and " the division of
the kidney substance into renal pyramids is imperfectly expressed"(Craigie,
244). This is supported by Popesko et al., where the renal papilla is identified
as pseudopapillae because it looks like numerous papillae but it is really a
single renal papilla (93).
Following the ureter from the left kidney down the body and then moving dorsal
to the uterus to the bladder. The uterus remaining preserved. By my mammal being
a female, there was the presence of a vesicouterine pouch surrounding the bladder,
which was easily removed. This pouch made the search and identifying of the
bladder rather difficult.
After following the ureter of the left kidney to the bladder, then follow the bladder to where it terminates onto the vaginal vestibulum (urogenital sinus) via the urethra (Popesko et al., 123). However, to follow the bladder to this point, the pubic symphysis had to be cut straight down its median. It was rather tough but by making a fairly superficial incision with the scapula you can then use your hands to apply pressure on each of the rabbit's legs and it will break open. The incision cannot be very deep, so that you can preserve the structures directly dorsal to it.
There is a strong possibility that my mammal may be in its very early stages
of pregnancy. However, I am not sure and there is nothing found in the dissection
to prove this possibility. So, I will continue the lab as if I am working on
a female that is not pregnant.
Two minute ovaries were found on the end of the left and right uteri. The uterine tube was identified as the structure that connected the ovaries to the left and right uteri. Following the uterine tubes of one of the ovaries posteriorly, one will find that my mammal has two uteri. The two uteri are held in place by a strong ligament identified as the broad uterine ligament (Popesko er al., 123). My mammal has a single vagina, which can be found superior to the point of termination of the bladder onto the vaginal vestibulum (urogenital sinus). The clitoris can be found inferior to the pubic symphysis. It may not remain fully preserved due to the dissection to reveal the urethra and the vaginal vestibulum, because of a "prominent glans" that protrudes from it into the vaginal vestibulum. The corpora cavernosa (erectile tissue) of the clitoris, which can be uncovered after cutting through a protective white sheath, is extremely firm and resistant. [See lower Figure].
Popesko, P., Rajtova, V., & Horak, J. A Colour Atlas of Anatomy of Small Laboratory Animals. London: Wolfe Publishing Ltd, 1992.
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