THE CONNECTIVE TISSUES. 



In addition, occasional peculiar granule-cells (the "Mast- 

 zellen" of the Germans) must be recognized. These elements 

 often appear spherical in form, and are distinguished by the con- 

 spicuous granularity of their protoplasm, the granules possessing a 

 strong affinity for dahlia and basic aniline stains. The granule-cells 

 occur in especial pro- 



fusion in the vicinity FlG - 33- 



of blood-vessels, and 

 seem to be intimately 

 connected with the 

 formation of adipose 

 tissue. 



In contrast to these 

 larger connective-tis- 

 sue elements, irregu- 

 larly round or ovoid 

 smaller cells are often 

 present, which, from 

 their ability to change 

 their position as well 



as form, are termed the wandering cells. These consist of small, 

 nucleated masses of active protoplasm, characteristic of the lymph or 

 colorless blood-cells with which they are identical, usually being 

 really leucocytes which have passed out of the vessels into the 

 surrounding tissues, through which they wander as transient 

 guests. 



"~The protoplasm of the fixed cells sometimes exhibits accumula- 

 tions of dark particles, the elements then appearing as the large, 

 irregularly branched 



FIG. 34. 



Subcutaneous areolar tissue : c, c, some of the connective-tissue 

 corpuscles ; w, migratory cells ; v, plasma-cell ; e, elastic fibres. 



FIG. 35. 



pigment-cells, 

 which form con- 

 spicuous ob- 

 jects in the con- 

 nective tissues 

 of many of the 

 lower animals ; 

 in man, such 

 cells occur prin- 

 cipally within 



the choroid and iris, and in certain parts of the pia mater. The 

 pigment-cells vary in shape and size ; usually stellate and of mod- 

 erate extent in the higher vertebrates, they assume the most elabo- 

 rate and grotesque forms and reach enormous dimensions within the 

 tissues of the lower animals. 



Special connective-tissue elements : 

 p, vacuolated plasma-cells ; g, granule- 

 cells. 



Pigmented connective-tissue cor- 

 puscles from the choroid. 



