Which of the following best describes the function of connective tissue?

a: Decreased osmotic pressure - Decreased osmotic pressure would lead to fluid retention within the capillaries, not lymph production.

b. Increased hydrostatic pressure: Lymph is produced when there is an increase in hydrostatic pressure within the capillaries, which forces fluid and solutes out into the interstitial space, forming lymph.

c: Decreased hydrostatic pressure - Decreased hydrostatic pressure would result in decreased filtration of fluid from the capillaries, hindering lymph production.

d: Increased osmotic pressure - Increased osmotic pressure would draw fluid back into the capillaries, opposing lymph formation.

a. Intercostal muscles: Intercostal muscles are located between the ribs and help with breathing movements. They don't separate the pleurae.

b. Pleural cavity: The pleural cavity is the space between the pleura and the lung on each side. There isn't another pleural cavity within this space.

c. Mediastinum: The pleura are two thin membranes that line the lungs and inner chest wall. The mediastinum is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity, containing essential structures like the heart, trachea, esophagus, and major blood vessels. It separates the right and left pleural cavities.

d. Diaphragm: The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle separating the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. While it plays a role in respiration, it doesn't directly separate the pleurae