Final answer:
Osteoid is a soft collagenous tissue that is the precursor to hardened bone, or osseous tissue. It forms the organic matrix which later mineralizes through the deposition of calcium salts, significantly contributing to the bone's rigidity and structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Osteoid describes a soft collagenous tissue similar to bone but without minerals. It is part of the bone tissue development process and serves as the organic matrix upon which the inorganic mineral salts, mainly calcium, are laid down. This matrix consists of collagen and elastic fibers, giving the bone its strength and flexibility before it becomes mineralized to form the hard connective tissue known as osseous tissue.
Bone tissue, or osseous tissue, is a specialized form of connective tissue that includes both an organic and an inorganic matrix. The combination of the collagenous structure of osteoid and the hard mineral crystals such as hydroxyapatite, a form of calcium phosphate, offers skeletal support and protects the body's internal organs by making bone tissue hard without being brittle.