Connective Tissue — NEET Biology MCQs with Solutions
Free NEET Biology Connective Tissue MCQs with step-by-step solutions (43 questions). Part of Structural Organisation in Animals. Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.
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Questions with solutions
Q1 — Connective Tissue · easy · theory
The most abundant tissue in animals, specialised to link and support other tissues/organs, is:
A. Connective tissue ✓ Correct
B. Neural tissue
C. Epithelial tissue
D. Muscular tissue
Solution: Connective tissue has cells loosely spread in an abundant matrix and includes blood, bone, cartilage and adipose tissue.
Q2 — Connective Tissue · easy · theory
The fluid connective tissue that transports nutrients, gases and wastes is:
A. Cartilage
B. Bone
C. Areolar tissue
D. Blood ✓ Correct
Solution: Blood is a fluid connective tissue with plasma matrix and formed elements; lymph is another fluid connective tissue.
Q3 — Connective Tissue · medium · theory
Adipose tissue is a type of loose connective tissue specialised for:
A. Storage of fat ✓ Correct
B. Rigid support
C. Rapid conduction
D. Contraction
Solution: Adipocytes of adipose tissue store fat, acting as insulation and an energy reserve.
Q4 — Connective Tissue · medium · theory
The connective tissue that connects two bones at a joint is a ______, while a ______ connects muscle to bone:
A. Cartilage; ligament
B. Ligament; tendon ✓ Correct
C. Bone; cartilage
D. Tendon; ligament
Solution: Ligaments (elastic) join bone to bone; tendons (tough, collagenous) join muscle to bone — both dense connective tissue.
Q5 — Connective Tissue · hard · theory
Cartilage differs from bone in that its matrix is:
A. Non-mineralised (chondroitin), so it is pliable; bone matrix is calcium-hardened ✓ Correct
B. Devoid of cells
C. Harder than bone
D. Fluid
Solution: Cartilage matrix (chondrocytes in lacunae) is solid but pliable; bone matrix is impregnated with calcium salts giving rigidity.
Q6 — Connective Tissue · hard · theory
The cells that secrete the bone matrix and those that resorb it are, respectively:
A. Chondroblasts and osteoblasts
B. Osteoclasts and osteocytes
C. Fibroblasts and mast cells
D. Osteoblasts and osteoclasts ✓ Correct
Solution: Osteoblasts deposit bone; osteoclasts break it down; mature bone cells are osteocytes in lacunae.
Q7 — Connective Tissue · easy · numerical
A connective tissue found beneath the skin acts as a packing between organs and stores fat. This description fits:
A. Dense regular connective tissue
B. Areolar tissue only
C. Hyaline cartilage
D. Adipose tissue (a loose connective tissue) ✓ Correct
Solution: Adipose tissue is loose connective tissue whose cells are loaded with fat; it stores lipids and cushions organs beneath the skin.
Q8 — Connective Tissue · easy · numerical
In tendons, which join muscle to bone, the collagen fibres are packed in parallel bundles giving great tensile strength. This tissue is:
A. Dense regular connective tissue ✓ Correct
B. Loose areolar connective tissue
C. Adipose connective tissue
D. Dense irregular connective tissue
Solution: Tendons are dense regular connective tissue in which collagen fibres run in the same parallel direction, giving high tensile strength along that axis.
Q9 — Connective Tissue · easy · numerical
Blood is regarded as a connective tissue mainly because it:
A. Contracts to bring about movement of the body
B. Has a fluid extracellular matrix (plasma) in which cells and proteins are suspended ✓ Correct
C. Conducts nerve impulses over long distances
D. Forms a protective covering over the body surface
Solution: Connective tissues have cells embedded in an extracellular matrix; in blood the matrix is fluid plasma, so blood is a fluid connective tissue.
Q10 — Connective Tissue · easy · numerical
Which cells of areolar connective tissue engulf and destroy invading microbes and cell debris?
A. Mast cells
B. Fibroblasts
C. Adipocytes
D. Macrophages ✓ Correct
Solution: Macrophages are phagocytic cells of connective tissue that engulf pathogens and debris; mast cells release histamine/heparin and fibroblasts secrete fibres and matrix.
Q11 — Connective Tissue · medium · numerical
Match the cell with its product/role: (i) Fibroblast (ii) Mast cell (iii) Macrophage — (p) secretes histamine and heparin (q) secretes fibres and ground substance of the matrix (r) phagocytoses foreign particles. The correct match is:
A. (i)-p, (ii)-q, (iii)-r
B. (i)-q, (ii)-p, (iii)-r ✓ Correct
C. (i)-r, (ii)-p, (iii)-q
D. (i)-q, (ii)-r, (iii)-p
Solution: Fibroblasts make the fibres and matrix, mast cells secrete histamine and heparin, and macrophages carry out phagocytosis in connective tissue.
Q12 — Connective Tissue · medium · numerical
Assertion (A): Cartilage can bear compression and yet remain somewhat flexible. Reason (R): The matrix of cartilage is a firm, pliable material and its cells (chondrocytes) lie enclosed in small cavities called lacunae. Choose the correct option.
A. A is true but R is false
B. A is false but R is true
C. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A ✓ Correct
D. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Solution: The firm yet pliable chondroitin-rich matrix, with chondrocytes in lacunae, lets cartilage resist compression while staying flexible, so R explains A.
Q13 — Connective Tissue · medium · numerical
Bone and cartilage are both specialised connective tissues, but they differ in that:
A. Bone cells lie in lacunae but cartilage cells never lie in lacunae
B. Bone has a hard matrix rich in calcium salts, whereas cartilage has a pliable matrix without much calcium ✓ Correct
C. Cartilage has a hard calcified matrix, whereas bone has a soft matrix
D. Only cartilage is a connective tissue; bone is an epithelial tissue
Solution: Bone matrix is hardened by calcium salts and collagen, giving rigid support, while cartilage matrix is pliable; both bone cells (osteocytes) and cartilage cells (chondrocytes) sit in lacunae.
Q14 — Connective Tissue · medium · numerical
Two fibre types are woven into the connective-tissue matrix. Which statement correctly contrasts them?
A. Elastin fibres provide tensile strength and collagen fibres provide elasticity
B. Both collagen and elastin fibres are secreted by macrophages
C. Collagen fibres are strong and relatively inelastic, while elastin fibres are stretchable and elastic ✓ Correct
D. Collagen fibres are highly elastic, while elastin fibres are inelastic
Solution: Collagen fibres are yellow-white, tough and resist stretching (tensile strength), whereas elastin fibres are elastic and recoil; both are made by fibroblasts.
Q15 — Connective Tissue · medium · numerical
Which grouping of connective tissues under the correct category is right?
A. Loose — cartilage and bone; Dense — blood; Specialised — areolar and adipose
B. Loose — tendon and ligament; Dense — areolar and adipose; Specialised — cartilage and bone
C. Loose — bone and blood; Dense — cartilage; Specialised — tendon and ligament
D. Loose — areolar and adipose; Dense — tendon and ligament; Specialised — cartilage, bone and blood ✓ Correct
Solution: Loose connective tissue includes areolar and adipose; dense connective tissue includes tendons and ligaments; specialised connective tissues are cartilage, bone and blood.
Q16 — Connective Tissue · medium
The following are the major proteins of plasma:
A. Albumin, globulin and fibrinogen ✓ Correct
B. Haemoglobin, fibrinogen and albumin
C. Globulin, bilirubin and fibrinogen
D. Globulin, albumin and haemoglobin
Solution: Albumin, globulins and fibrinogen are the major plasma proteins.
Q17 — Connective Tissue · hard
Consider the following three statements and mark the right option: (1) The plasma without clotting factors is called semen. (2) Thymus is called the graveyard of RBCs. (3) Thrombocytes are the cell fragments produced from megakaryocytes.
A. Only 3 is correct ✓ Correct
B. Both 2 and 3 are correct
C. Only 1 is correct
D. Both 1 and 2 are correct
Solution: Plasma without clotting factors is serum (not semen) and spleen (not thymus) is the graveyard of RBCs; only statement 3 is correct.
Q18 — Connective Tissue · medium
Which of the following is a loose connective tissue?
A. Adipose tissue and areolar tissue ✓ Correct
B. Blood
C. Tendon and ligament
D. Bone and cartilage
Solution: Areolar and adipose tissues are loose connective tissues.
Q19 — Connective Tissue · medium
Which of the following is a dense regular connective tissue?
A. Tendon and ligament ✓ Correct
B. Skin
C. Bone and cartilage
D. Adipose tissue and areolar tissue
Solution: Tendons and ligaments are dense regular connective tissues with orderly, parallel collagen fibres.
Q20 — Connective Tissue · medium
Cartilage is present in which of the following structures?
A. All of the above ✓ Correct
B. Limbs and hands in embryos
C. Between adjacent bones of the vertebral column
D. Tip of nose and outer ear joints
Solution: Cartilage is present in the nose tip, ear, between vertebrae and in the limbs of embryos.
Q21 — Connective Tissue · medium
The bone cells are present in the spaces called:
A. Lamellae
B. Canaliculi
C. All of these
D. Lacunae ✓ Correct
Solution: Osteocytes (bone cells) are present in spaces called lacunae.
Q22 — Connective Tissue · hard
Select the incorrectly matched pair from the following:
A. Chondrocytes - Smooth muscle cells ✓ Correct
B. Fibroblast - Areolar tissue
C. Neurons - Nerve cells
D. Osteocytes - Bone cells
Solution: Chondrocytes are cartilage cells, not smooth muscle cells, so this pair is incorrectly matched.
Q23 — Connective Tissue · medium
Which of the following is present between the adjacent bones of the vertebral column?
A. Smooth muscle
B. Intercalated discs
C. Cartilage ✓ Correct
D. Areolar tissue
Solution: Cartilage is present between adjacent vertebrae, acting as a cushion.
Q24 — Connective Tissue · medium
Which of the following is not a connective tissue?
A. Adipose tissue
B. Neuroglia ✓ Correct
C. Blood
D. Cartilage
Solution: Neuroglia are part of neural tissue, not connective tissue.
Q25 — Connective Tissue · medium
Bones are hard and non-pliable due to the presence of
A. chondrocytes
B. calcium salts ✓ Correct
C. elastin fibres
D. all of these
Solution: The bone matrix is rich in calcium salts and collagen, making bones hard and non-pliable.
Q26 — Connective Tissue · medium
The spaces in which osteocytes are present are called
A. sinuses
B. canaliculi
C. lacunae ✓ Correct
D. osteoclast
Solution: Osteocytes lie in spaces called lacunae within the bone matrix.
Q27 — Connective Tissue · medium
The fluid connective tissue contains all of the following cells, except
A. platelets
B. RBCs
C. WBCs
D. fibroblasts ✓ Correct
Solution: Blood (fluid connective tissue) contains RBCs, WBCs and platelets, but not fibroblasts.
Q28 — Connective Tissue · hard
Ligaments contain
A. parallely arranged collagen fibres
B. irregularly placed elastin fibres ✓ Correct
C. large fat storage areas
D. loose bundles of fibres
Solution: Ligaments (bone to bone) are elastic and strong, containing elastin fibres, unlike tendons which are mostly collagen.
Q29 — Connective Tissue · medium
Areolar tissue is a type of
A. dense connective tissue
B. compound epithelium
C. specialized connective tissue
D. loose connective tissue ✓ Correct
Solution: Areolar tissue is a loose connective tissue found beneath the skin and between organs.
Q30 — Connective Tissue · medium
Areolar tissues contain
A. fibroblast, macrophages, mast cells ✓ Correct
B. fibroblast cells only
C. fibroblasts and fat globules
D. T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes
Solution: Areolar tissue contains fibroblasts, macrophages and mast cells in its matrix.