RETICULAR AND OTHER CONNECTIVE TISSUES 



289 



of the distribution of these fibers as shown by the Bielschowsky 

 method, a work already begun by Studnicka, Ciaccio, Balabio, 

 Alagna, Favaro, Maresh, Cesa-Bianchi and others. 



C. RETICULUM 



The careful observation of Bielschowsky preparations also 

 yields valuable data as to the finer structure of reticular tissue 

 and the relation of its fibrils to the ''fixed" connective tissue cells. 



The coarser fibers of 'reticulum' may be readily seen and, where 

 such fibers come into relation with the "knots" of the reticular 

 net, one can observe these fibrils breaking up into a plexus within, 

 or about, the cells as pointed out by Balabio ('08). Somewhat 



Fig. 8 Fi'om a Iym])hatic gland of man showing the relation of the blackened 

 fibers of reticulum to the branching protoplasm of the fixed connective tissue cells. 

 The small black nuclei are those of lymphocytes. PR, perifollicular reticulum. 

 Bielschowsky stain, after stained with acid fuchsin. Camera lucida; occ. 1, obj. 

 Y^ horn. im. 



of this arrangement is indicated in fig. 8, though in other places 

 the fil ers appear to enter the cell and end either abruptly or, 

 more frequently, pass through the cell in close proximity if not in 

 contact with its nucleus. The appearance of abrupt ending 

 might if only occasionally observed, be due to the passage of fibers 

 out of the plane of the section, but it occurs far too often so that 

 this certainly is not always the case. The finer fibrils, as well as 

 many of the coarser ones, appear as single fibrils though because 

 of the complete opacity of the impregnation one cannot say that 

 this is actually the case. Certainly the larger fibers distinctly 

 show indications of fibrillation. 



