

CONNECTIVE TISSUE. 157 



granules. The granules are, in most instances, of a dim, gray 

 color, and readily distinguished from the surrounding yellow 

 fat. These formations are evidently those long known in 

 specimens obtained from emaciated persons, and preserved in 

 alcohol, as the nucleated, stellate protoplasmic bodies within the 

 capsule. The intra-capsular protoplasm, according to C. Toldt,* 

 retains its vital contractility even in the highest degrees of 

 emaciation, and from it starts, under favorable conditions, the 

 formation of new fat. 



Fat-globules often contain a coloring matter, either diffused 

 or in the form of pigment-granules j and even in the fresh con- 

 dition they may contain needle-like formations, usually termed 

 margaric acid crystals. More recent chemical researches show 

 that these crystals are much more complicated formations of fat- 

 acids than was thought formerly. Such crystals are frequently 

 seen in rancid fat, where they produce large, dark clusters of 

 radiating needles, standing out like the bristles of a porcupine. 



Fat-globules originate from indifferent or embryonal plastids, 

 which are considered by C. Toldt to be specific fat-formers. At 

 first small granules of fat appear, which by coalescence produce 

 globules. It has been maintained that each plastid will furnish 

 a complete fat- globule, often of large size ; whereas the researches 

 of Flemming, Czajewicz, and others make it highly probable that 

 a number of plastids are fused together in order to produce 

 a large fat- globule. Flemmiug drew attention to the fact that, 

 in highly emaciated fat-tissue, cells are often found which 

 exhibit a proliferation of their nuclei, and even contain a large 

 number of " young cells." He terms this condition the " pro- 

 liferating atrophy/ 7 in contradistinction to the simple " serous 

 atrophy.' 7 Czajewicz asserts that the fat in rabbit disappears 

 after a few days 7 abstinence from food, but rapidly re-appears 

 in the original globules upon the resumption of abundant feed- 

 ing. The substance which under these conditions replaces the 

 fat is said to be serum or mucus. In inflammation, the same 

 observer noticed a splitting of the fat-globules into numerous 

 plastids. 



From all these facts we may conclude that fat-tissue is closely 

 allied to myxomatous connective tissue, although the metamor- 

 phosis in each is materially different. A certain number of 

 plastids changed to fat may coalesce into what we know to be 

 a territory, in which unchanged portions of bioplasson are left. 



* Lehrbuch der Gewebelehre. 1877. 



