Reticular fibers support body organs like the liver, spleen, and kidneys. These fibers are not apparent in routinely stained tissue sections. Gordon and Sweet's silver staining method demonstrates reticular fiber patterns. Abnormal patterns may indicate cirrhosis or necrosis of the liver, which is why retic stains are often requested on liver biopsies.
Abnormal reticular fiber patterns may also indicate the presence of certain tumors. For example, in most carcinomas, reticular fibers surround nests of tumor cells.
