Skeletal Muscle-Tendon Connections – Tutorial

Please read Unit 4 – Introduction to Muscle Tissue prior to completing the activities in this chapter.

Introduction to Skeletal Muscle-Tendon Connections

The collagen fibers of all three connective tissue layers surrounding skeletal muscle cells (epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium) blend together to form an interwoven bundle of collagen fibers at each end of a skeletal muscle.  These interwoven bundles of collagen can form a tendon (a cable-like bundle of collagen fibers) or an aponeurosis (a broad thin sheet of collagen fibers).  The parallel-oriented collagen fibers within a tendon or aponeurosis are technically classified as dense regular connective tissue.  Tendons and aponeuroses typically attach to bones where some of their collagen fibers penetrate into the bone matrix to provide an extremely strong muscle to bone connection.

Tutorial:  Use the image slider below to learn more about the characteristics of skeletal muscle-tendon connections. 

Microscopy:  Use the image slider below to learn how to use a microscope to study skeletal muscle-tendon connections on a microscope slide.

Tutorial:  Use the hotspot image below to learn more about the characteristics of a skeletal muscle-tendon connection. 

Tutorial:  Use the image slider below to study numerous examples of muscle-tendon connections.