Type III collagen, also called reticular connective tissue, provides the architectural framework for lymphatic tissue and organs such as the liver and spleen. Reticulin fibers form a honeycomb reticulin network where the cell types are deposited and/or anchored, providing structure in organs that can expand. Reticulin fibers cannot be visualized in a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slide. Reticulin fibers are argyrophilic, meaning that these tissue elements will appear black as a result of a chemical reaction in which a silver solution using the aid of a chemical reducer brings the silver to a visible form.
