Random Article Summary #30

Reticular fibers are a type of fiber in connective tissue that are made up of type III collagen. They form a network or mesh that acts as a supporting structure in soft tissues such as the liver, bone marrow, and the lymphatic system. These fibers are mainly composed of reticulin protein and crosslink to create a fine meshwork. The term 'reticulin' was coined in 1892 and is now used to refer specifically to fibers composed of type III collagen. However, in the past, there was confusion about the term and it was used to describe two different structures. The use of silver stain to detect reticulin fibers has been found to lack specificity and cannot be considered a reliable technique for studying this type of collagen. Reticular fibers are made up of strands of collagen that form a supporting network. They can be stained with silver salts and periodic acid-Schiff reagent, but not with ordinary histological stains. In the spleen, reticular fibers have different components and may play a role in spleen contraction or dilation. Due to their affinity for silver salts, they are called argyrophilic.