In the classification of body tissues, blood is best described as which type of tissue?

• A. Specialized connective tissue (a fluid connective tissue)
• B. Muscle tissue (smooth muscle)
• C. Epithelial tissue (simple squamous epithelium)
• D. Nervous tissue (neurons and neuroglia)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the four primary tissue types in the body: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue.
2. Step 2: Recall that connective tissue supports, connects, or separates different types of tissues and organs in the body. It includes various subtypes such as loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, cartilage, bone, and blood.
3. Step 3: Recognize that blood is a fluid tissue composed of cells suspended in plasma, which functions to transport nutrients, gases, and waste products throughout the body.
4. Step 4: Identify that because blood has a matrix (plasma) and cells, it fits the definition of connective tissue, specifically a specialized form called fluid connective tissue.
5. Step 5: Conclude that among the options given, blood is best classified as specialized connective tissue (a fluid connective tissue), rather than muscle, epithelial, or nervous tissue.