Blue arrow indicates which type of fibers?

Blue arrow indicates which type of fibers?

• A. Reticular fibers
• B. Fibroblasts
• C. Elastic fibers
• D. Collagen fibers (Type I)

Answer: (C)

Elastic fibers are the thin, branching, wavy strands that form a delicate network in connective tissue and are best seen with stains that highlight elastin. The blue arrow points to these slender, dark fibers, which match how elastic fibers look and why they provide tissues with stretch and recoil. This differs from collagen type I, which forms thick, pinkish bundles that resist tension; from reticular fibers, which create a fine mesh in lymphoid organs and are typically highlighted with silver stains; and from fibroblasts, which are cells (visible nuclei) rather than fibers.

Elastic fibers are the thin, branching, wavy strands that form a delicate network in connective tissue and are best seen with stains that highlight elastin. The blue arrow points to these slender, dark fibers, which match how elastic fibers look and why they provide tissues with stretch and recoil. This differs from collagen type I, which forms thick, pinkish bundles that resist tension; from reticular fibers, which create a fine mesh in lymphoid organs and are typically highlighted with silver stains; and from fibroblasts, which are cells (visible nuclei) rather than fibers.