Reticular connective tissue Reticular connective tissue Reticular connective tissue is a type of connective tissue with a network of reticular fibers, made of type III collagen ("reticulum" = net or network). Reticular fibers are not unique to reticular connective tissue, but only in this type are they dominant. Reticular fibers are synthesized by special fibroblasts called reticular cells. The fibers are thin branching structures. Reticular connective tissue is found around the kidney, the spleen, and lymph nodes, Peyer's patches as well as in bone marrow. The fibers form a soft skeleton (stroma) to support the lymphoid organs (lymph node stromal cells, red bone
Packed red blood cells are kept with a minimal amount of fluid. Generally, an additive solution of citrate, dextrose, and adenine is mixed with the cells to keep them alive during storage. This process is sometimes done as automated apheresis, where the centrifuging and mixing take place at the donation site. Red blood cells are sometimes modified to address specific patient needs. The most common modification is leukoreduction, where the donor blood is filtered to remove white cells, although this is becoming increasingly universal throughout the blood supply (over 80% in the US, 100% in Europe). The blood may also be irradiated, which destroys