The basement membrane lies between the epithelium and which underlying tissue?

The basement membrane lies between the epithelium and which underlying tissue?

• A. Nervous tissue
• B. Connective tissue
• C. Muscle tissue
• D. Epithelial tissue

Answer: (B)

The basement membrane marks the boundary between epithelial tissue and the connective tissue beneath it. Epithelial cells contribute the basal lamina, while connective tissue provides the reticular lamina; together they form a thin, supportive sheet that anchors the epithelium to the underlying connective tissue. This interface is what you’re identifying when you’re asked what lies beneath the epithelium. It isn’t between epithelium and nervous or muscle tissue, and it isn’t another epithelial layer, since the basement membrane sits at the base of the epithelium, connecting it to the connective tissue below.

The basement membrane marks the boundary between epithelial tissue and the connective tissue beneath it. Epithelial cells contribute the basal lamina, while connective tissue provides the reticular lamina; together they form a thin, supportive sheet that anchors the epithelium to the underlying connective tissue. This interface is what you’re identifying when you’re asked what lies beneath the epithelium. It isn’t between epithelium and nervous or muscle tissue, and it isn’t another epithelial layer, since the basement membrane sits at the base of the epithelium, connecting it to the connective tissue below.