Final answer:
No, the statement is false. Inflammation can occur in many types of tissue, not just connective tissue, and involves a variety of cellular processes and immune system components to repair damage and combat infection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that inflammation only occurs in connective tissue is false. Inflammation is a biological response to tissue injury and can occur in any type of tissue, not just connective tissue. When cells are injured, they release chemical signals that cause vasodilation and fluid leakage to initiate the inflammatory response. This can happen in various tissues such as epithelial, muscle, and nervous tissues, although the latter two may regenerate slowly or not at all.
Fibroblasts, which deposit collagen during the repair phase, are a key component of connective tissue, but cells associated with the immune system, like macrophages and mast cells, are present throughout the body and participate in the inflammatory response wherever damage may occur. Chronic inflammation can lead to major tissue destruction and is associated with conditions like arthritis and tuberculosis, indicating that inflammation is not confined to connective tissue only.