Which statement about epithelial tissue is true?

• A. Epithelia are highly vascular.
• B. Epithelia have an internal blood supply.
• C. Epithelia are avascular, relying on diffusion from underlying connective tissue.
• D. Epithelia are primarily composed of dense elastic tissue.

Answer: (C)

Epithelial tissue is avascular; there are no blood vessels within the epithelium itself. Because of this, nutrients and oxygen reach the epithelial cells by diffusion from capillaries in the underlying connective tissue through the basement membrane. This arrangement supports the tissue’s barrier, absorption, and secretion roles while keeping its own blood supply absent. The other statements aren’t correct: epithelia do not have a network of blood vessels inside them, and they are not made of dense elastic tissue—that describes certain connective tissues rather than epithelial layers.