CHAPTER III 



THE SUPPORTING TISSUES 



55. Connective Tissue consists of three elements : white 

 fibers, yellow fibers, and connective tissue cells. The 

 white fibers (Fig. 32) are not elastic. They form a mesh- 

 work of bundles running in various directions. The bun- 

 dles consist of still 

 smaller fibers which 

 are fine, long, and 

 wavy; they run par- 

 allel in the bundle 

 and never branch. 

 Scattered among the 

 bundles are some 

 branching fibers, 

 forming a network ; 

 they are yellow and 

 generally much 

 thicker than the white 

 fibers, and are called 

 yellow elastic fibers. 



They form the second element in connective tissue (Fig. 

 32, c). The third element is the connective tissue cells. 

 They are scattered among the fibers. Each has a nucleus 

 (Fig- 33) > many of them are much branched and the 

 fibrous parts f the tissue already described are believed 

 to have been first formed as branches of such cells. 



56. This wonderfully strong, though delicate, tissue 

 (Fig. 34) is found in every organ, binding together and 

 holding in place the various tissues and cells, thus pre- 

 34 



FIG. 32. Connective Tissue Fibers. 



a, small bundles of white fibrous tissue; b, larger 

 bundles; c, single yellow elastic fibers. 



