32 ELEMENTS OF HISTOLOGY. [Chap. v. 



tendons and tendon sheaths, in fascise and aponeuroses, 

 in the intermusciilar tissue, and in the tissue con- 

 necting neighbouring organs, &c. It consists of 

 microscopic band-like or cylindrical bundles or fasciculi 

 of exceedingly fine homogeneous fibrils (Fig. 22), which 

 are known as the elementary connective tissue fibrils. 



tr 



Fig. 22. Plexus of Bundles of Fibrous Tissue from the Omentum 

 of Eat. 



a, A capillary blood vessel ; 6, bundles of fibrous tissue ; c, the connective-tissue 

 corpuscles ; d, plasma cells. (Atlas.) 



According to the number of these^ the bundles differ 

 in size. The bundles, and also their constituent 

 fibrils, may be of very great length several inches. 

 Where the fibrous tissue forms continuous masses 

 as in tendon, fascia, aponeurosis, skin, and mucous 

 membrane the microscopic bundles are aggregated 

 into smaller or larger groups, the trabeculce, and these 

 are again associated into groups. The fibrils are held 

 together by an albuminous (globulin), semi-fiuid, homo- 

 geneous cement substance, which is also present between 

 the bundles forming a trabecula. 



On adding an acid or an alkali to a bundle of 



