CONDITION OF EPIDERMAL FIBRILS IN EPITHELIOMA. 283 
On the Condition of the Epidermal Fibrils in 
Epithelioma. 
By 
Oeorge Arnold, M.Sc., 
From the Cancer Research Laboratory (Mrs. Sutton Timmis 
Memorial), University of Liverpool. 
With Plate 25 and 1 Text-figure. 
The following* observations were made in the course of 
some experiments which were carried out with the object of 
demonstrating chondriosomes in malignant tissues. 
These observations deal principally with the epidermal 
fibrils (protoplasm-fasern, Ger., and fibrilles epidermiques, 
Fr.), and as the literature dealing with these structures is 
somewhat scattered and rather scanty, it will be necessary to 
take a short survey of the present state of knowledge con- 
cerning them. 
Ranvier (1879) was one of the earliest observers to 
investigate these cell structures, giving a short description of 
the fibrils that are to be found in the epidermal cells of 
mammals. 
He distinguished two sorts of fibrils in the cells of the 
Malpighian layer of the skin, namely, the “ filaments 
nodulaires” and the “ longs filaments.” These fibrils are 
confined to the cytoplasm of the epidermal cells, i. e. they 
lie entirely external to the nuclei. The “ filaments nodu- 
laires ” connect up adjacent cells, and pass through the 
prickles, and are furnished with an enlargement (nodule) at 
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