Histology MCQs/Connective Tissue (2026/27)

1

Which connective tissue cells produce extracellular proteoglycans?

fibroblasts
mast cells
plasma cells
resting macrophages

2

Mast cell granules containing the proteoglycan serglycin stain more purple or red than blue with toluidine blue. What is this phenomenon called?

metachromasia
metaplasia
metonymy
metaphor

3

Plasma cells are the terminal stage of differentiation of a certain cell type that circulates in the blood for some time. Which one?

T lymphocyte
B lymphocyte
NK cell
monocyte

4

Which type of collagen anchors the epithelial basement membrane to the loose collagenous connective tissue located beneath the epithelium?

type I collagen
type II collagen
type IV collagen
type VII collagen

5

The proper function of certain enzymes (hydroxylases) involved in the post-translational modification of newly synthesized type I collagen requires the presence of a certain vitamin. Which one?

vitamin A
vitamin C
vitamin D
vitamin E

6

Matrix metalloproteinases are enzymes involved in the continuous degradation of collagen in the extracellular matrix. Which cells produce these matrix metalloproteinases?

heparinocytes
fibroblasts
mast cells
macrophages

7

What is the main protein component of reticular fibers?

type II collagen
type III collagen
aggrecan
laminin

8

A special staining method can be used to demonstrate elastic fibers. Which one?

Alcian blue staining
silver impregnation
orcein staining
PAS reaction

9

Glycosaminoglycans are usually produced in the Golgi apparatus, but one glycosaminoglycan is produced by an enzyme complex located in the cell membrane. Which one?

hyaluronic acid
dermatan sulfate
heparan sulfate
heparin

10

What is fibronectin?

a growth factor stimulating fibroblast proliferation
a protein stabilizing elastic fibers
a multiadhesive glycoprotein
a structural proteoglycan

11

The classification of connective tissue into loose and dense connective tissue is based on the concentration of a certain type of molecule. Which molecule is it?

type III collagen
type I collagen
perlecan
water

12

Internal organs usually have a connective tissue capsule. What type of connective tissue usually forms this capsule?

elastic connective tissue
reticular connective tissue
dense regular collagenous connective tissue
dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

13

What type of connective tissue are aponeuroses composed of?

elastic connective tissue
loose collagenous connective tissue
dense regular collagenous connective tissue
dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

14

The lipid droplet of an adipocyte is dissolved during standard histological tissue processing and therefore appears empty. Special procedures, for example embedding in a water-soluble resin, can preserve the lipid. How can the lipid be stained in such preparations?

the lipid is eosinophilic
the lipid can be demonstrated immunohistochemically
the lipid can be demonstrated by silver impregnation
the lipid can be demonstrated using a Sudan dye

15

The mitochondria of brown adipose tissue are characterized by the expression of a specific protein. Which one?

hyaluronan synthase complex
acid phosphatase
Na/K ATPase
UCP-1