Tendon

:Tendon is also the name of a commune in the Vosges département in France.

Anatomy

The origin of a tendon is where it joins to a muscle. Collagen fibers from within the muscle organ are continuous with those of the tendon. A tendon inserts into bone at an enthesis where the collagen fibres are mineralised and integrated into bone tissue.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tenocytes produce collagen molecules which aggregate end-to-end and side-to-side to produce collagen fibrils. Fibril bundles are organised by tenocytes to form fibres. Collagen fibres coalesce into macroaggregates. Groups of macroaggregates are bounded by connective tissue endotendon and are termed fascicles. Groups of fascicles are bounded by the epitendon and peritendon to form the tendon organ.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Blood vessels may be visualised within the endotendon running parallel to collagen fibres, with occasional branching transverse anastomoses.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The internal tendon bulk is thought to contain no nerve fibres, however the epi- and peritendon contain nerve endings, while Golgi tendon organs are present at the junction between tendon and muscle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~