What type of tissue provides support, protection, and binds structures together?

Connective tissue is the type of tissue that provides support, protection, and binds structures together throughout the body. This tissue serves various functions, including joining and supporting other tissues and organs, storing energy, and assisting in various transport processes within the body.

Connective tissue encompasses a wide variety of tissue types, including bone, adipose (fat) tissue, blood, and cartilage, which all share the common characteristic of having a matrix that separates the cells, enabling them to withstand different types of stress and fulfill several roles, such as cushioning and insulation.

Muscular tissue primarily facilitates movement through contraction and is not primarily involved in binding or structural support. Nervous tissue is responsible for transmitting impulses and communication within the nervous system, which is fundamentally different from the functions of connective tissue. Epithelial tissue covers and lines surfaces but does not serve to support or bind other structures together in the way connective tissue does.