AREOLAR, TISSUE. 



45 



and in some few regions it is absent altogether (p. 47). 

 Probably no nerves are distributed to areolar tissue itself, 

 although, they pass through it to other structures ; and 

 although blood-vessels are supplied to it, yet they are 

 sparing in quantity, if we except those destined for the fat 

 which is held in its meshes. 



Under the microscope areolar tissue seems composed of 

 a mesh- work of fine fibres of two kinds. The first, which 

 makes up the greater part of the tissue, is formed of very 

 fine white structureless fibres, arranged closely in bands and 

 bundles, of wave-like appearance when not stretched out, 

 and crossing and intersecting in all directions (fig. 8). The 

 second kind, or the yellow elastic fibre (fig. 10), has a much 



Fiy. 9.* 



sharper and darker outline, and is not arranged in bundles, 

 but intimately mingled with the first variety, as more or 

 less separate and well-defined fibres, which twist among and 

 around the bundles of white filaments (fig. 9). Sometimes 



* Fig. 9. Magnified view of areolar tissues (from different parts) treated 

 with acetic acid. The white filaments are no longer seen, and the 

 yellow or elastic fibres with the nuclei come into view. At c, elastic 

 fibres wind round a bundle of white fibres, which, by the effect of the 

 acid, is swollen out between the turns (Sharpey). 



