THE CONNECTIVE TISSUES. 



[CH. IV. 



its want of conducting power, assist in preventing undue waste of 

 the heat of the body by escape from the surface. 



c. As a packing material, fat serves very admirably to fill up 

 spaces, to form a soft and yielding yet elastic material wherewith 

 to wrap tender and delicate structures, or form a bed with like 



Fig. 70. Branched connective-tissue corpuscles, developing into fat-cells. (K!ein.) 



qualities on which such structures may lie, not endangered by 

 pressure. As examples of situations in which fat serves such 

 purposes may be mentioned the palms of the hands and soles of 

 the feet and the orbits. 



d. In the long bones fatty tissue, in the form known as yellow 

 marrow, fills the medullary canal, and supports the small blood- 

 vessels which are distributed from it to the inner part of the 

 substance of the bone. 



Betiform Tissue. 



Retiform or reticular tissue is a kind of connective tissue in 

 which the ground substance is of more fluid consistency than 



Fig. 71. Retiform tissue from a lymphatic gland, from a section which has been treated 

 with dilute potash. (Schufer.) 



