「Reticular connective tissue is a type of connective tissue[1] with a network of reticular fibers, made of type III collagen[2] (reticulum = net or network). Reticular fibers are not unique to reticular connective tissue, but only in this type are they dominant.[3] Reticular fibers are synthesized by special fibroblasts called reticular cells. The fibers are thin branching structures.
【 Location 】 Reticular connective tissue is found around the kidney, the spleen, and lymph nodes, as well as in bone marrow.[4] The liver however have a meshwork of reticular fibers, not to be mixed with reticular connective tissue. A meshwork of reticular fibers does not form reticular connective tissue.
【 Function 】 The fibers form a soft skeleton (stroma) to support the lymphoid organs (lymph nodestromal cells, red bone marrow, and spleen). Adipose tissue is held together by reticular fibers.」