Animal Tissues – NDA Biology PYQs

NDA 2024-II

Q. 1. Which one among the following tissues help to connect two bones?

(a) Tendons

(b) Ligaments

(c) Areolar tissue

(d) Cartilage

Answer: (b) Ligaments

Explanation: Ligaments are dense connective tissue structures that connect bone to bone at joints. They are made primarily of collagen fibres with some elastin, giving them slight flexibility while maintaining structural integrity. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Areolar tissue is loose connective tissue found in various locations. Cartilage is a firm, flexible connective tissue that covers joint surfaces and forms parts of the nose, ear, and trachea. Concept Tested: Ligaments connect bone to bone; tendons connect muscle to bone

★ JOVIK Exam Insight Ligament vs. Tendon:  NDA tests this repeatedly: Ligament – bone to bone (joint connection). Tendon – muscle to bone (movement connection). Both are made of collagen but serve different connecting functions.

Q. 2. In which part or organ of human body cartilage is NOT found?

(a) Nose

(b) Trachea

(c) Bronchiole

(d) Knee joint

Answer: (c) Bronchiole

Explanation: Cartilage is a firm, flexible connective tissue. In the body, cartilage is found in the nose (tip and external structure), trachea (C-shaped rings), and at joint surfaces (including the knee:  as meniscus and articular cartilage). The bronchioles (the smallest branches of the bronchial tree) do NOT contain cartilage. The larger bronchi have cartilage, but once the airways narrow to bronchioles, the cartilage disappears. Concept Tested: Cartilage absent in bronchioles; present in nose, trachea, and knee joint

NDA 2024-I

Q. 3. Consider the following cell types:

1. Monocyte

2. Chondrocyte

3. Basophil

4. Lymphocyte

How many of the above belong to animal cell types?

(a) 1

(b) 2

(c) 3

(d) 4

Answer: (d) 4

Explanation: All four cell types are animal cells. Monocyte is a white blood cell (WBC) of the innate immune system. Chondrocyte is the cell found in cartilage tissue:  it produces and maintains the cartilage matrix. Basophil is a type of WBC involved in allergic reactions and inflammation. Lymphocyte is a WBC central to adaptive immunity (B and T cells). None of these are plant cell types. Concept Tested: All four listed (monocyte, chondrocyte, basophil, lymphocyte) are animal cell types

NDA 2021-I

Q. 4. Squamous epithelial cells are found in the inner lining of

(a) Oesophagus.

(b) Small intestine.

(c) Ducts of salivary gland.

(d) Kidney.

Answer: (a) Oesophagus.

Explanation: Squamous epithelium consists of flat, scale-like cells. Simple squamous epithelium lines blood vessels (endothelium) and body cavities. Stratified squamous epithelium lines surfaces subject to abrasion:  including the oesophagus (food passage), skin, and mouth. The small intestine is lined by columnar epithelium with villi for absorption. Salivary gland ducts are lined by cuboidal or columnar epithelium. Kidney tubules are lined by cuboidal epithelium. Concept Tested: Squamous epithelium lines the oesophagus (subject to abrasion); columnar epithelium lines the small intestine

★ JOVIK Exam Insight Epithelial cell types and their locations: Squamous = oesophagus, skin, blood vessels (flat cells, protection). Cuboidal = kidney tubules, gland ducts (cube-shaped, secretion/absorption). Columnar = small intestine, stomach lining (tall cells, absorption/secretion). Ciliated columnar = trachea (with cilia for moving mucus).

NDA 2020

Q. 5. Cartilage is NOT found in

(a) larynx

(b) nose

(c) ear

(d) urinary bladder

Answer: (d) urinary bladder

Explanation: Cartilage is present in the larynx (voice box:  forms thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage), nose (tip), and ear (pinna/auricle). The urinary bladder does NOT contain cartilage. The bladder wall is made of smooth muscle (detrusor muscle) and transitional (urothelial) epithelium, which allows it to expand as it fills with urine. Concept Tested: Cartilage absent in urinary bladder; present in larynx, nose, and ear

NDA 2019-II

Q. 6. Blood is a type of

(a) Epithelial tissue

(b) Muscular tissue

(c) Nervous tissue

(d) Connective tissue

Answer: (d) Connective tissue

Explanation: Blood is classified as a specialised connective tissue. Like other connective tissues, blood has cells (RBCs, WBCs, platelets) scattered in a matrix (plasma). Connective tissues are characterised by cells embedded in an extracellular matrix. Blood differs from other connective tissues in that its matrix (plasma) is liquid rather than solid or gel-like. It transports substances throughout the body. Concept Tested: Blood = specialised connective tissue with cells (RBCs, WBCs, platelets) in a liquid matrix (plasma)

★ JOVIK Exam Insight All four basic tissue types: Epithelial = lining/covering (skin, gut lining). Connective = support and transport (blood, bone, cartilage, fat, tendons). Muscular = movement (skeletal, smooth, cardiac). Nervous = communication (neurons, supporting cells). Blood is connective:  not muscular or epithelial.

NDA 2018-I

Q. 7. Which one of the following types of tissues will have contractile proteins?

(a) Nervous tissue

(b) Muscle tissue

(c) Bone tissue

(d) Blood tissue

Answer: (b) Muscle tissue

Explanation: Muscle tissue contains the contractile proteins actin and myosin. These proteins slide past each other to cause muscle contraction. Skeletal muscle fibres contain highly organised arrays of actin (thin filaments) and myosin (thick filaments) in units called sarcomeres. Smooth and cardiac muscle also contain actin and myosin. Nervous tissue transmits signals. Bone provides support. Blood transports substances. Concept Tested: Muscle tissue contains contractile proteins actin and myosin; no other tissue type has this in the same form

NDA 2017-II

Q. 8. Tendons through which muscles are connected to bones are tightly compacted bundles of which one of the following long fibrous protein?

(a) Fibrin

(b) Collagen

(c) Elastin

(d) Cellulose

Answer: (b) Collagen

Explanation: Tendons are made of dense, regular connective tissue consisting of tightly packed parallel bundles of collagen fibres. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and provides tendons with great tensile strength:  the ability to withstand pulling forces. Fibrin is involved in blood clotting. Elastin is found in ligaments and elastic arteries (allows stretch and recoil). Cellulose is a plant polysaccharide:  not found in animals. Concept Tested: Tendons are made of collagen fibres:  tightly packed parallel bundles providing tensile strength

Q. 9. Melanin is the natural pigment that gives colour to human skin, hair and the iris. It provides protection against

(a) Ultraviolet radiation

(b) Infrared radiation

(c) X-ray radiation

(d) Short wave radio radiation

Answer: (a) Ultraviolet radiation

Explanation: Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the skin and is a natural photoprotective pigment. It absorbs and dissipates ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight, protecting the DNA in skin cells from UV-induced damage (which can lead to skin cancer and mutations). People with more melanin have darker skin. Albinism (lack of melanin) increases UV vulnerability. Melanin does not protect against infrared, X-ray, or radio radiation. Concept Tested: Melanin protects skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation:  produced by melanocytes in the skin

NDA 2015-II

Q. 10. In Egypt, ancient mummies can be found to have their arteries intact due to well preserved:

(a) mineralized blood

(b) fibroblasts fibre

(c) elastic fibre

(d) brown fat

Answer: (c) elastic fibre

Explanation: Arteries have walls composed of three layers. The middle layer (tunica media) contains smooth muscle and elastic fibres (elastin). Elastin is a remarkably durable protein. In mummies, the organic matter of the body generally decays, but the elastic fibres in arterial walls are resistant to degradation and can be preserved for thousands of years:  which is why arterial structures remain recognisable in ancient Egyptian mummies. Mineralised blood and fibroblasts do not account for this preservation. Concept Tested: Arterial walls contain elastic fibres (elastin) that are preserved in mummies due to elastin’s durability

NDA 2013-II

Q. 11. Muscles of which one among the following body parts contract slowly but can remain contracted for a longer time?

(a) Face

(b) Arms

(c) Intestine

(d) Legs

Answer: (c) Intestine

Explanation: Intestinal muscles are smooth muscles (involuntary). Smooth muscles contract slowly but have the ability to maintain sustained, prolonged contractions:  they do not fatigue as quickly as skeletal muscles. This is important for the intestine, which needs to maintain sustained peristaltic movements over long periods to move food. Facial, arm, and leg muscles are skeletal (striated) muscles:  they contract quickly and powerfully but fatigue more rapidly. Concept Tested: Smooth muscle (intestine): contracts slowly but maintains sustained contractions; skeletal muscle (face, arms, legs): fast but fatigues quickly

NDA 2012-II

Q. 12. The process of conventional earlobe piercing does not lead to bleeding. This is because the

(a) heart does not supply blood to earlobes

(b) cartilage found in earlobe has lesser blood supply unlike other body parts

(c) earlobes consist of dead non-dividing tissue

(d) needle used for ear piercing is sterilized

Answer: (b) cartilage found in earlobe has lesser blood supply unlike other body parts

Explanation: The earlobe contains cartilage, adipose (fat) tissue, and skin. Cartilage is avascular:  it does not have blood vessels running through it. Blood vessels supply the skin around the cartilage but not the cartilage itself. When a needle pierces only the cartilage portion of the earlobe (which lacks blood vessels), minimal bleeding occurs. Option (a) is false:  the heart supplies blood throughout the body. Option (c) is false:  earlobe tissue is alive. Option (d) is irrelevant to bleeding. Concept Tested: Earlobe piercing causes minimal bleeding because cartilage is avascular (lacks blood vessels)

NDA 2012-I

Q. 13. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. Ligaments are highly flexible.

2. Ligaments connect muscles and bones.

3. Ligaments contain very little matrix.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Code:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Explanation: Statement 1 is considered correct in the NDA context: ligaments are flexible and slightly elastic compared to tendons, allowing some movement at joints while preventing excessive motion. Statement 2 is incorrect: ligaments connect bone to bone, not muscle to bone. Tendons connect muscle to bone. Statement 3 is correct: ligaments are dense regular connective tissue composed mainly of collagen fibres with very little ground substance (matrix) between the fibres. Statements 1 and 3 are therefore correct. Concept Tested: Ligaments: flexible (Statement 1:  correct in NDA context); connect bone to bone NOT muscle to bone (Statement 2:  incorrect); contain very little matrix (Statement 3:  correct)

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