396 



USES OF THE LIVER DUCTLESS GLANDS. 



FIG. 132. Liver-cells from a human, fatty liver 

 (Funke). 



the study of the relations of the ducts and the liver-cells are thereby much 

 increased. 



Hepatic Cells. If a scraping from the cut surface of a fresh liver be ex- 

 amined with a moderately high magnifying power, the field of view will be 

 found filled with rounded, ovoid or irregularly polygonal cells, measuring 

 to roW f an i llc h (16 to 25 /x) in diameter. In their natural condition 



they are more frequently ovoid than 

 polygonal ; and when they have the 

 latter form the corners are always 

 rounded. These cells present one and 

 occasionally two nuclei, sometimes with 

 and sometimes without nucleoli. The 

 presence of small, pigmentary granules 

 gives to the cells a peculiar and char- 

 acteristic appearance ; and in addition, 

 nearly all of them contain a few gran- 

 ules or small globules of fat. Some- 

 times the fatty and pigmentary gran- 

 ules are so abundant as to obscure the 

 nuclei. The addition of acetic acid 

 renders the cells pale and the nuclei 

 become more distinct. The cells also 

 contain more or less glycogen in the form of granules surrounding the nu- 

 clei. 



Arrangement of the Bile-ducts in the Lobules. In the substance of the 

 lobules is a fine and regular net-work of vessels of nearly uniform size, about 

 10 Soo of an inch (2 or 3 /*) in diame- 

 ter, which surround the liver-cells, each 

 cell lying in a space bounded by inos- 

 culating branches of these canals. This 

 plexus is entirely independent of the 

 blood-vessels, and it seems to enclose 

 in its meshes each individual cell, ex- 

 tending from the periphery of the lob- 

 ule to the intralobular vein. 



The reticulated bile-ducts were dis- 

 covered in the substance of the lobules, 

 near their borders, by Gerlach, in 1848. 

 It is evident, from an examination of 

 his figures and description, that he 

 succeeded in filling with injection that 



portion of the lobular net-WOrk near FIG. 133. Portion of a transverse sect ion of an 

 i-i -i 3 -C-Lii-ui j i 3 hepatic lobule of the rabbit ,' magnified 400 



the borders 01 the lobules, and he dem- diameters (Koiiiker). 



onstrated the continuity of these ves- 6 ' 6 ' 6 - cap f e r _5 u ^ 



sels with the interlobular ducts ; but he 



did not recognize the vessels nearer the centre of the lobule. It is now 



