In the connective tissue image, the arrow indicates which tissue type?

In the connective tissue image, the arrow indicates which tissue type?

• A. This is fibrocartilage
• B. This is dense regular connective tissue
• C. This is hyaline cartilage
• D. This is adipose tissue

Answer: (A)

Understanding how to identify connective tissues hinges on the matrix and the cells you can see. Fibrocartilage is distinctive because its matrix is dominated by thick, densely packed collagen fibers arranged in bundles, and you can find chondrocytes living in small lacunae tucked between those fibrous strands. That combination—the fibrous, bundled collagen plus lacunae-containing cells—is what the arrow is pointing to, making fibrocartilage the best match. This differs from dense regular connective tissue, which would show parallel collagen fibers with fibroblasts but no chondrocytes in lacunae. It also differs from hyaline cartilage, which has a more uniform, glassy matrix with chondrocytes in lacunae but lacks the thick, fibrous collagen bundles seen here. Adipose tissue would display large lipid-filled cells with nuclei pushed to the periphery, not a fibrous, lacunae-containing matrix.

Understanding how to identify connective tissues hinges on the matrix and the cells you can see. Fibrocartilage is distinctive because its matrix is dominated by thick, densely packed collagen fibers arranged in bundles, and you can find chondrocytes living in small lacunae tucked between those fibrous strands. That combination—the fibrous, bundled collagen plus lacunae-containing cells—is what the arrow is pointing to, making fibrocartilage the best match.

This differs from dense regular connective tissue, which would show parallel collagen fibers with fibroblasts but no chondrocytes in lacunae. It also differs from hyaline cartilage, which has a more uniform, glassy matrix with chondrocytes in lacunae but lacks the thick, fibrous collagen bundles seen here. Adipose tissue would display large lipid-filled cells with nuclei pushed to the periphery, not a fibrous, lacunae-containing matrix.