THE LIVER. 



291 



animals as, for instance, the rabbit contain two nuclei. The 

 cell-bodies of the hepatic cells, which average from iS fj. to 26 // in 

 diameter, show a differentiation into protoplasm and paraplasm. 

 This is especially manifest in a state of hunger. In this condition 

 it is seen that the network of protoplasm around the nucleus is un- 

 usually dense, and becomes looser in arrangement as it extends 

 toward the periphery of the cell-body. The paraplasm is slightly 

 granular, and contains glycogen and bile drops during the func- 

 tional activity of the cell (secretion vacuoles). The vacuoles in the 

 paraplasm play an important part in the secretion of the cell, and are 



Intralobular 

 vein. 



Fig. 229. Human bile capillaries. The capillaries of one lobule are seen to anas- 

 tomose with those of the adjoining lobule (below, in the figure) ; X IIQ (chrome- silver 

 method). 



Vacuole of secretion. 



Tubule of same. 

 Bile capillary. 



Fig. 230. Human bile capillaries as seen in section ; X 4 8 (chrome-silver method). 



due to the confluence of minute drops of bile into a large globule. 

 As soon as the vacuole has attained a certain size it tends to empty 



