tendon | Description & Function - Encyclopedia Britannica

tendon, tissue that attaches a muscle to other body parts, usually bones. Tendons are the connective tissues that transmit the mechanical force of muscle ... tendon TableofContents Introduction FastFacts RelatedContent Media Videos Images More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Health&Medicine Anatomy&Physiology tendon anatomy Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/tendon More GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites MedlinePlus-Tendonrepair Healthline-What’stheDifferenceBetweenLigamentsandTendons? BritannicaWebsites ArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents. tendon-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup) By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory tendonstructure Seeallmedia RelatedTopics: skeleton repetitivestraininjury Achillestendon plantartendon fingerflexortendon ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ tendon,tissuethatattachesamuscletootherbodyparts,usuallybones.Tendonsaretheconnectivetissuesthattransmitthemechanicalforceofmusclecontractiontothebones;thetendonisfirmlyconnectedtomusclefibresatoneendandtocomponentsoftheboneatitsotherend.Tendonsareremarkablystrong,havingoneofthehighesttensilestrengthsfoundamongsofttissues.Theirgreatstrength,whichisnecessaryforwithstandingthestressesgeneratedbymuscularcontraction,isattributedtothehierarchicalstructure,parallelorientation,andtissuecompositionoftendonfibres.Atendoniscomposedofdensefibrousconnectivetissuemadeupprimarilyofcollagenousfibres.Primarycollagenfibres,whichconsistofbunchesofcollagenfibrils,arethebasicunitsofatendon.Primaryfibresarebunchedtogetherintoprimaryfibrebundles(subfasicles),groupsofwhichformsecondaryfibrebundles(fasicles).Multiplesecondaryfibrebundlesformtertiaryfibrebundles,groupsofwhichinturnformthetendonunit.Primary,secondary,andtertiarybundlesaresurroundedbyasheathofconnectivetissueknownasendotenon,whichfacilitatestheglidingofbundlesagainstoneanotherduringtendonmovement.Endotenoniscontiguouswithepitenon,thefinelayerofconnectivetissuethatsheathsthetendonunit.Lyingoutsidetheepitenonandcontiguouswithitisalooseelasticconnectivetissuelayerknownasparatenon,whichallowsthetendontomoveagainstneighbouringtissues.Thetendonisattachedtothebonebycollagenousfibres(Sharpeyfibres)thatcontinueintothematrixofthebone. BritannicaQuiz TheHumanBody Youmayknowthatthehumanbrainiscomposedoftwohalves,butwhatfractionofthehumanbodyismadeupofblood?Testbothhalvesofyourmindinthishumananatomyquiz. Theprimarycelltypesoftendonsarethespindle-shapedtenocytes(fibrocytes)andtenoblasts(fibroblasts).Tenocytesarematuretendoncellsthatarefoundthroughoutthetendonstructure,typicallyanchoredtocollagenfibres.Tenoblastsarespindle-shapedimmaturetendoncellsthatgiverisetotenocytes.Tenoblaststypicallyoccurinclusters,freefromcollagenfibres.Theyarehighlyproliferativeandareinvolvedinthesynthesisofcollagenandothercomponentsoftheextracellularmatrix.fibroblastsPhase-contrastmicroscopyoffibroblastsfromamouseembryo.SubtleGuestThecompositionofatendonissimilartothatofligamentsandaponeuroses.TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyKaraRogers.