A STUDY OF EPIDERMAL FIBRILS.
In certain animals, in addition to the protoplasmic fibrils of the stratum filamentosum that are present normally in human epidermis, there are well developed fibrils in the cells of the stratum germinativum. These fibrils are present in the human epidermis only under conditions of increased cell activity. These fibrils, that are prominent in the stratum germinativum of human epidermis under conditions of increased cell activity, seem to increase in direct ratio to rapidity of cell production. The differentiation of these fibrils of the stratum germinativum into the finer fibrils which connect the cells of the stratum filamentosum can be observed under proper conditions of growth and therefore there should be no separation of the fibrils into different groups with various names. This process of fibre production by the cells of the human epidermis is analogous to increased fibre production by various other cells under similar conditions, and may be of importance in identifying or classifying new growths of epithelial origin.
Pathological Laboratory, St. Louis University Medical Department.
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Thompson