46 ELEMENTARY HISTOLOGY. 



i. The branching fibres, with very sharp outlines. 



ii. The tendency of the branches to anastomose with 

 one another and so form networks. 



iii. The tendency of the fibres and branches to curl up 

 at their broken ends. 



Add a droio of acetic add ; note that 



iv. No alteration whatever is produced in the fibres. 



V. No nuclei appear. 



III. Areolar tissue. This is a meshwork composed of both 

 white fibrous and elastic tissues. 



a. Subcutaneous tissue of mammal. Talce a fresldy hilled 

 rat, and snip off a small piece of the loose fibrous tissue 

 which connects the shin with the suhjace7it parts : spread 

 it on a slide: add a drop of normal salt solution : cover, 

 and examine ivith low and high powers ; note: — 

 i. The meshwork, composed of white fibrous tissue 

 with wavy outlines, mingled with which are 

 branched elastic fibres. 

 Add acetic acid ; note that 



ii. The white fibrous tissue swells up and becomes 



transparent, 

 iii. The elastic tissue is unaltered, 

 iv. Connective tissue corpuscles, with nuclei, become 

 visible. 



IV. Adipose tissue. This consists of a fine network of 

 vascular connective tissue, in the meshes of which are 

 fat cells, i.e., connective tissue corpuscles in which large 

 quantities of fatty or oily matter have accumulated. 



a. Omentum of rabbit or kitten. Mount a small piece of 

 fresh omentum in 7iormal salt solution; protect it from 

 the pressure of the cover glass ; examine with low and 

 high powers ; note : — 



i. The vascular connective tissue meshwork, in which 

 lie the fat cells. 



ii. The fat cells : large, spherical, or from mutual pres- 

 sure polyhedral, cells; distended with fatty matter, 

 and with their nuclei near the surface. 



