A major distinction between the connective tissues in an animal and other main tissue types such as epithelium, nervous tissue, or muscle is _______________

(a) the ability of connective-tissue cells such as fibroblasts to change shape.
(b) the amount of extracellular matrix in connective tissues.
(c) the ability of connective tissues to withstand mechanical stresses.
(d) the numerous connections that connective-tissue cells make with each other.


Choice (b) is correct. Cells in nonconnective tissues can change shape [for example, muscle cells when they contract; choice (a)], and can withstand mechanical stress [for example, cells of the epidermis; choice (c)]. Cells in connective tissue tend to be scattered throughout the extracellular matrix and make few or no contacts with each other, unlike nerve cells or epithelial cells.

Biology & Microbiology

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