Which one of the following tissues is most likely to be affected when osteoporosis develops?

When osteoporosis develops, the tissue most likely to be affected is bone. Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in bone density and quality, which makes bones more fragile and susceptible to fractures. The condition affects the internal architecture of bone, leading to porous bones that can break easily under stress.

Bone is living tissue that undergoes continuous remodeling, and osteoporosis particularly impacts trabecular bone, which is found in areas such as the spine and pelvis, as well as cortical bone found in the appendicular skeleton. This process occurs when there is an imbalance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts, leading to a net loss of bone mass.

In contrast, the oral mucosa, salivary glands, and skin, while they are important tissues in the body, are not directly affected by osteoporosis. The oral mucosa consists of soft tissue and does not undergo the same degenerative changes as bone. Salivary glands, which produce saliva, and skin, the body's outer covering, also do not exhibit the structural changes characteristic of osteoporosis. Therefore, among the given options, bone stands out as the primary tissue impacted by this condition, emphasizing the significance of understanding bone health in relation to osteoporosis.