Figure 15: Subcutis, dog.  The subcutaneous tissue is composed of abundant adipose (fat).  The adipocytes that comprise the subcutaneous fat are polyhedral cells with abundant, non-staining cytoplasm.  Nuclei are peripheral and difficult to discern (due to compression by the intracellular lipid).  The lipid is washed out during routine processing, which accounts for the absence of staining of lipid in these cells.  Thin tracts of collagenous connective tissue provide structure to the hypodermis.