reticulin Histology.
(rɪˈtɪkjʊlɪn)
[a. G. reticulin (M. Siegfried 1892, in Ber. ü. die Verh. d. K. Sächs. Ges. der Wissensch. zu Leipzig (Math.-Phys. Cl.) XLIV. 306): cf. next and -in1.]
A structural protein with an affinity for silver stains that is present in healing wounds and forms a fine network in the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver; now regarded as a form of collagen.
| 1899 Jrnl. Physiol. XXIV. p. x, The fibres of reticular or retiform tissue are anatomically continuous with, and histologically identical with, the white fibres of connective tissue. According to Siegfried they are however chemically different, for they yield not only gelatin, but also a new substance he has named reticulin. 1902 Ibid. XXVIII. 321 Miss Tebb believes that reticulin is collagen, which has been changed by alcohol and ether. 1930 Amer. Jrnl. Path. VI. 631 In successful preparations, reticulin stains black while collagen bundles stain yellow, thereby fortifying Mall's conclusion that reticulin..is a substance different from collagen. 1947 Ann. Rev. Microbiol. I. 133 Following up an observation..that incubation with Cl[ostridium] welchii Type A filtrates causes rapid disintegration of muscle, and that this is due..to destruction of the reticulin scaffolding, Oakley et al...have confirmed the presence of a collagenase enzyme in such filtrates. 1973 Law & Oliver Gloss. Histopath. Terms 118 Reticular fibres. These elements of connective tissue are often loosely referred to as ‘reticulin’ which perhaps more accurately should be confined to the constituent protein. A long-standing controversy still rages over their relationship with collagen fibres; although reticular fibres possess a strong argyrophilia and collagen fibres do not..examination under the electron microscope shows no basic structural dissimilarity. 1974 R. M. Kirk et al. Surgery ii. 30 Phagocytes attached to reticulin fibrils line sinusoids in the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, bone marrow, and certain endocrine glands such as the anterior pituitary, adrenal and thymus glands. |