Q. What is the typical feature of the epithelia? How different is it from the connective tissue?
The typical feature of the epithelium is the almost absence or absence of space between cells. The epithelial cells are compactly positioned side-by-side with the help of specialized structures for cell adhesion like interdigitations and desmosomes. This feature relates to the fact that these tissues are generally exposed to an exterior surround and so they need resistance and more impermeability against the entrance of strange material into the body.
The connective tissue presents opposite features due to its filling function. It has much relatively large space between cells and interstitial material (the matrix).