412 



THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 



cells within the cord ; the blood capillary, on the other hand, is in rela- 

 tion with that surface of the hepatic cell which forms the periphery of 

 the cell cord. 



The blood capillaries are suspended in the fine meshes of the delicate 

 reticulum which lias already been described as the intralobular connective 

 tissue, and which also invests the cords of hepatic cells. This reticular 

 connective tissue is of relatively insignificant volume. 



The bile capillaries are true secretory canaliculi by which the bile, 



after secretion by the 

 hepatic cells, finds its 

 way along the anastomos- 

 ing cell cords to some 

 point at the periphery of 

 the lobule, where the cell 

 cord becomes continuous 

 with a minute bile duct, 

 the secreting cells within 

 the lobule presenting a 

 rapid transition to the 

 very low columnar or 

 flattened epithelium of 

 the interlobular bile 

 duct. The immediate 

 lining of the intralobular 

 bile canaliculus is a del- 

 icate cuticular mem- 

 brane, probably the prod- 

 uct of the hepatic cell. 



The Hepatic Cells. 

 -These are large poly- 

 hedral cells which possess one, or very frequently two, spherical nuclei 

 and a coarsely granular cytoplasm. A true cell membrane may be re- 

 garded as being absent, yet there is often a sharply defined exoplasm 

 which forms the surface of the cell and simulates a true membrane. 



The nuclei of the hepatic cells are rich in chromatin, and stain 

 deeply. They are situated well within the cell, but usually in an eccentric 

 position. Frequently they contain a distinct nucleolus. 



The cytoplasm of the hepatic cells is finely reticular, the meshes 

 being filled with coarse granules of irregular size. Many of these are 

 undoubtedly glijcogenic granules, and show a decided color reaction when 



FIG. 385. SECTION OF LIVER TISSUE OF CAT, 

 SHOWING THE LIVER CELL-CORDS, AND THE ARTI- 

 FICIALLY ENLARGED SINUSOIDS LINED WITH ENDO- 

 THELIUM. X 375. 



