The vital role played by the lymphatic capillaries in the transfer of tissue fluids and particulate materials from the connective tissue area can be demonstrated by the rapid removal of injected vital dyes into the tissue areas. In order to ascertain the mechanisms involved in the transfer of substances from the connective tissue area at the ultrastructural level, we have injected colloidal particles of varying sizes which range from 80 A up to 900-mμ. These colloidal particles (colloidal ferritin 80-100A, thorium dioxide 100-200 A, biological carbon 200-300 and latex spheres 900-mμ) are injected directly into the interstitial spaces of the connective tissue with glass micro-needles mounted in a modified Chambers micromanipulator. The progress of the particles from the interstitial space into the lymphatic capillary lumen is followed by observing tissues from animals (skin of the guinea pig ear) that were injected at various time intervals ranging from 5 minutes up to 6 months.
