54 



CONNECTIVE TISSUE. 



[sect. 26. 



the reticular connective tissue. 



Fiff. 21. 



In other cases, but less commonly, 

 the bundles do not appear to be 

 composed of distinct fibrils, but are 

 more homogeneous, as in the neuri- 

 lemma, where they are known as 

 Remak's fibres. Besides this form 

 of areolar tissue, there exists a se- 

 cond rarer one, in which neither 

 bundles nor fibrillar can be clearly 

 distinguished, and there is nothing 

 but a finely granular, or slightly 

 striated, or even quite homogeneous 

 clear substance, spread out in the 

 form of a membrane, or appearing 

 in large masses — homogeneous (or 

 Reicliert's) connective tissue. The 

 other elements occurring in connec- 

 tive tissue, except the already men- 

 tioned plasm-cells and their deriva- 

 tives, offer nothing requiring to be 

 noted here, and will be spoken of in 

 their proper place, in the special 

 part of the work. We may now only further mention, that the 

 plasm-cells and fine elastic fibres are very regularly distributed in 

 many of the fibrous forms of connective, tissue, and principally 

 run regularly between the bundles, the demarcation of which 

 chiefly depends upon these elements. An interstitial substance is, 

 perhaps, also present in small quantity between the bundles in all 

 kinds of connective tissue, although it cannot be directly demon- 

 strated in the more compact forms; on the other hand, it is not 

 unfrequently distinguishable in loose connective tissue, yet, in 

 certain cases, it is not easy to say whether it is to be regarded as 

 an amorphous substance, or as homogeneous connective tissue 

 derived from cells. 



In its chemical relations, the connective tissue is well known. 

 The proper connective substance yields, on boiling with water, 

 ordinary gelatine. There is also a fluid contained in its tissue, the 

 composition of which, on account of its small quantity, has not 

 yet been investigated. It is only where it is collected in larger 

 amount, as in the gelatinous connective tissue of embryos, that 

 the presence of much albumen and mucus in it can be readily 

 demonstrated. The chemical constitution of homogeneous con- 



Loose areolar tissue, with fat-cells ; of man 

 Magnified 350 times. 



