ALIMENTARY CANAL, ETC., OP AMIURUS CATUS. 409 



The hepatic cells are of small diameter, speaking comparatively, 

 measuring on the overage 12 /i, the smallest observed being 9 '5 fi, 

 and the largest twice that size. Their characteristics are most easily 

 observed in the fresh state, when they are obtained by drawing the 

 edge of a knife over the cut surface of the liver. Examined in salt 

 solution, at the ordinary temperature of the room, the single cells 

 exhibit curious movements and forms. This fact has been fully de- 

 scribed for the hepatic cells of mammalian livers. The movement is 

 usually designated as an amoeboid one, but is sensibly different from 

 it, as no protrusion of processes occurs. In the majority of cases a cir- 

 cular constriction appears at one pole of the cell, and slowly travels 

 toward the opposite pole ; when at the equator of the eell it gives 

 the appearance of a dumb-bell. Before this constriction has disap- 

 peared a second one may arise, and even a third, at the same pole. 

 The locomotion arising from this may be little or nothing. An in- 

 crease of temperature has no effect on the rapidity of the contraction 

 or constriction. A flow of the contents of the cell from one part to 

 the other during contraction occurs, while that portion of the cell 

 which forms a thin sheath for it apparently brings about the contrac- 

 tions or constrictions. The sheath is quite free from granules, and 

 formed of a clear substance not marked off definitely from the granu- 

 lar central mass other than by the absence of granules. 



When in the resting state the cell is perfectly spherical, although 

 such is not the case in the fresh liver. Young cat-fishes of about 

 one to two inches in length, offer livers which when carefully re- 

 moved give good opportunities on account of the thinness of the 

 lobes for observing therefrom any movement of the cell. 



The liver cell contains beside large nuclei of 3 fi and 4 /z in diam- 

 eter, oil globules, and a few pigment granules. In the nucleus may 

 be one or more nucleolar bodies. In the cell itself, in fresh condi- 

 tion, there can be observed five processes radiating from the nucleus. 

 Hardened in Midler's fluid or in a solution of potassic bichromate, 

 the fine intracellular reticulation can be observed to be unequally 

 distributed throughout the cell. It seems to be aggregated around 

 the nucleus, and from there radiates to the side of the cell which 

 borders on the gall capillary, i.e., away from the blood capillary. 

 The reticulation encloses nearly all the pigmented granules, the re- 

 mainder of the cell being pretty free from them. 



