MUSCULAR FIBRE. 559 



veloped as its sarcolemma. There is no question here of 

 muscle resulting from the contents of fused cells. It 

 is obviously and readily seen to be but a metamorphosis 

 of the periplastic substance, in all respects comparable 

 to that which occurs in ossification, or in the develop- 

 ment of tendon. In this case, we might expect, that as 

 there is an areolar form of connective tissue, so should 



Fig. 298. 



1 , Muscular fibre, and & fasciculus of muscle taken from a young Pig. (Magnified 

 600 diameters.) 2, Muscular fibre from the tongue of Lamb, showing continuity 

 of the upper portion, with connective tissue of the lower portion. 3, Branched 

 muscle, ending in stellate connective cells, from the upper-lip of the Rat. 



we find some similar arrangement of muscle ; such may, 

 indeed, be seen very beautifully in the termination of the 

 branched muscles, as they are called. In fig. 298, No. 3, 

 the termination of a muscular fibre from the lip of a Rat, 

 is shown ; and the stellate " cells " of areolated connective 

 tissue are seen passing into the divided extremities of 

 the muscular bundle, becoming gradually striated as they 

 do so. In the muscle it is obvious enough, that what- 

 ever homology there may be between the stellate " cells " 

 and the muscular bundles with which they are con- 

 tinuous, there is no functional analogy the stellate bodies 

 having no contractile faculty. The nervous tubule is 

 developed in essentially the same manner as a muscular 

 fasciculus, the only difference being, that fatty matters 

 take the place of syntonin. Now, it commonly happens 

 that the nerve-tubule terminates in stellate bodies (fig. 

 300) of a precisely similar nature ; these are supposed to 

 possess important nervous functions ; and are now known 

 as "ganglionic cells." 



