The term parenchyma describes which aspect of an organ?

The term parenchyma describes which aspect of an organ?

• A. The functional tissue
• B. The nerve supply
• C. The vascular network
• D. The protective capsule

Answer: (A)

Parenchyma describes the functional tissue of an organ—the cells that perform the organ’s specialized activities. These are the cells responsible for the organ’s main work, such as secretory cells in a gland or hepatocytes in the liver. The other components you see in an organ—the nerve supply, blood vessels, and the protective capsule—make up the supportive framework called the stroma. They provide structure, nourishment, and regulation, but they aren’t the tissue that carries out the organ’s primary function. That’s why parenchyma is the term used for the functional part, not the vessels, nerves, or capsule.

Parenchyma describes the functional tissue of an organ—the cells that perform the organ’s specialized activities. These are the cells responsible for the organ’s main work, such as secretory cells in a gland or hepatocytes in the liver. The other components you see in an organ—the nerve supply, blood vessels, and the protective capsule—make up the supportive framework called the stroma. They provide structure, nourishment, and regulation, but they aren’t the tissue that carries out the organ’s primary function. That’s why parenchyma is the term used for the functional part, not the vessels, nerves, or capsule.