On the development of fat / [C. Handfield Jones].

  • Jones, C. Handfield (Charles Handfield), 1819-1890
Date:
[1850?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the development of fat / [C. Handfield Jones]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ON THE OS r* sC / n DEVELOPMENT OF FAT. BY CHARLES HANDFIELD JONES, In a paper published in the Medical Gazette more than two years ago, (Jan. 1848) I stated my belief that the pre¬ sence of a nucleus is not an essential condition in the developement of a fat cell, “ but that it may arise as a minute vesicle filled with oil, and continue to enlarge by the intussusception of oily matter supplied to it, the envelope ex¬ panding a.nd gaining strength in pro¬ portion as the contents accumulate.” Since then I have made numerous ob¬ servations on the condition of fat cells, and have by them been led to main¬ tain more exclusively the view I then proposed, so that now I consider it to occur very rarely, if ever, that a fat cell is developed in any other way than that just mentioned. I proceed to detail some of the observations which seem to justify this conclusion. In the muscular tissue of a sprat I found fatty matter disposed in the fol¬ lowing manner. Long rows and groups of oil globules lay between the fibres: they did not appear to possess distinct envelopes, and wete occasionally seen fused together : there were also masses of apparently true fat cells, which did not coalesce together, and were not affected by ether. Among those thus treated were numerous vesicles of every size down to 5 6 inch, or even less. From the examination of this specimen it seemed certain that here, at least, oil was directly separated from the blood, varying size, these became surrounded with an envelope. In a perch I found a fat mass from the abdomen, consisting of vesicles of very various sizes embedded in a fibrous tissue, which, however, was very deli¬ cate and scanty. There was no trace of developement cells nor nuclei to be seen anywhere. The vesicles varied in size from to inch, or less, and, save in respect of magnitude, were all of precisely similar appearance. On ether being added, a good deal of oil was extracted in the form of large drops; but very many vesicles, small as well as large, remained unaltered. 1 conclude that the small fat vesicles, as well as the larger, are provided with en¬ velopes,—that they are not mere oil- drops. In a piece of adipose tissue from the abdomen of a frog I found no trace of developement cells, nor of pre-existing nuclei. The vesicles were of all sizes, from inch to inch. They were not aggregated together, but lay near each other in a kind of blastema- tous nidus. They were not altered by ether. I should state that in both this observation and the preceding the ani¬ mals wrere rather emaciated than other¬ wise, but I do not think this materially impairs the evidence they afford, that fat vesicles exist of all sizes, down to a magnitude not exceeding that of an or¬ dinary nucleus