College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-05-14 07:01:45
Major
Biomedical Science
Honors Course
BIOL 499
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
Upper-level physiology labs in undergraduate education use freshly isolated bullfrog and/or leopard frog tissue to teach core concepts in nerve and muscle physiology. Sourcing live animals for routine educational use raises ethical and conservation concerns. Cane toads (Rhinella marina) are an invasive species that are routinely culled, can provide a potential source of laboratory animals which would remove pressure to native amphibian populations. This study tested the hypothesis that cane toads can serve as a functional substitute for bullfrogs and/or leopard frogs in the muscle and nerve physiology lab. Isolated sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle preparations from cane toads were compared to frog data from prior student lab reports across three exercises: compound action potential (CAP) amplitude, peak gastrocnemius twitch force, and tetanic contraction. Maximum CAP amplitude did not differ significantly between species (Welch's t-test, p = 0.95), nor did peak twitch force (p = 0.40). A two-way ANOVA on tetanic force revealed a significant species effect, with frogs producing greater absolute force (p < 0.001), but no significant species vs frequency interaction (p = 0.96), indicating both species followed the same frequency-dependent pattern of summation and fusion. These findings support the use of cane toads as a functional teaching analog, offering an ethically and ecologically defensible alternative that draws from animals already targeted for removal rather than pressuring native amphibian populations further.
Research Sponsor
Brian Bagatto
First Reader
Joel Duff
Second Reader
Henry Astley
Honors Faculty Advisor
Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Community Engaged Scholarship
No
Recommended Citation
Renna, Iris, "Toadally Not A Frog: A Neuromuscular Physiology Study" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2232.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2232
Included in
Biomechanics Commons, Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons