CONNECTIVE TISSUES 39 



conditions they are no longer straight, but present a gracefully 

 curved contour. The elastic fibres also possess a glassy, shining, 

 or highly refractive appearance, the white fibres by comparison 

 looking dull and opaque. 



Elastic fibres stain but slightly with most dyes ; they are readily 

 colored by orcein and by Weigert's elastic tissue stain, both of 

 which serve as specific dyes for these fibres. Elastic fibres are 

 not dissolved by dilute acids or alkalis, even when boiled, and are 

 only digested by artificial gastric juice after a lapse of several 

 hours ; they are, however, readily digested in faintly alkaline solu- 

 tions of pancreatin. 



The cells of areolar tissue are few in number, but may include 

 any of the several varieties, though lamellar and spindle cells 

 together with leucocytes form the more common types. Many of 

 the lamellar cells are closely applied to, or even wrapped around 



FIG. 40. DENSE FIBROUS TISSUE FROM THE TENDON OF ONE OF THE OCULAR MUSCLES 



OF A CHILD. 



Hematein and eosin. x 550. 



the bundles of white fibres. Fat cells occur in considerable num- 

 bers in all areolar tissue and in some places are aggregated into 

 large groups which form lobules of fatty tissue. 



