58 



THE CONNECTIVE TISSUES 



tions, as in the case of the uterus, a broad Ugament extending 

 from the peritoneum connects the uterus with and supports it on 

 either side. The round or utero-o^'arian Hgament is a short fibrous 

 cord extending from the uterus to the ovary on either side. Elastic 

 cords form the hgamenta flava of the vertebrae and also the vocal 

 cords. 



CHONDROID TISSUE AND CARTILAGE. 



Special dense A'arieties of connective tissue with cells and fibers, 

 but with a solid substance encapsulating the cells or forming an 

 intercellular matrix, are spoken of as chondroid tissue and cartilage. 



Chondroid tissue (Fig. 33) is composed of a mass of closel}' packed 

 ovoid cells, each encapsuled by a small amount of matrix. This 



Fig. 3.3. 



-Photograph of a vertebra of a newt, showing enoapsulated vesicular chon- 

 droid cells within the bony vertebral tissue. 



tissue may be found associated with the tendon of Achilles of the 

 frog. A similar tissue is an embryonic stage in the formation of 

 cartilage in which intercellular matrix is more al)undant. Where 

 chondroid tissue will form, mesenchyme cells proliferate to form a 

 mass of closely packed cells. These become rounded out and larger 

 in size, and are separated by a scant amount of intercelhdar material 

 in which collagenous fibrils can be demonstrated. A thin capsule of 

 firm material staining with basic dyes forms about the cells so that 

 a structure of considerable firmness results. P^.xam])les of chondroid 

 tissue, or pseudocartilage as it is sometimes called, may be observed 

 in skeletons of many fish and Amphibia as well as in the embryonic 



