Question

Which of the following is a living tissue that provides mechanical support to the growing body?
A. Collenchyma
B. Sclerenchyma
C. Parenchyma
D. Xylem tissues

Answer 1

Hint: There are three types of cells/tissue seen in plants, viz. parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma. The living tissue that provides mechanical support for plants has alive, elongated and irregularly thickened cells.

Complete step by step answer:
Collenchyma is a specific supporting tissue that possesses tremendous tensile strength and has living cells. It is commonly present as a full cylinder or in the form of longitudinal strips in the stems below the epidermis. Being versatile in nature, it provides the plant body with tensile strength.
In most dicotyledonous species, collenchyma occurs in layers below the epidermis. It consists of cells that, due to the deposition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin, are much thickened at the corners. These cells may be oval , spherical or polygonal and may also contain chloroplasts. Intercellular spaces are not present between them.
Parenchyma cells are isodiametric and majorly present between the organs.They have small intracellular spaces.have thin walls and are made up of cellulose.
Sclerenchyma are long and narrow cells consisting of thick and lignified cell walls.These calls are dead and contain no chloroplasts.

So, the correct option is A. Collenchyma

Note:
 A basic type of tissue is the Parenchyma tissue. These are thin-walled cells with cellulose and hemicellulose deposition. These are cells with little to no intercellular spaces, compactly organized. Sclerenchyma tissue is composed of cells of sclerenchyma that are normally dead (i.e. have lost their protoplasts) at maturity. They contain characteristically very thick, hard secondary walls lined with lignin.