What structure forms when the connective tissue layers of a muscle merge at each end?

What structure forms when the connective tissue layers of a muscle merge at each end?

• A. Tendon
• B. Ligament
• C. Cartilage
• D. Fascia

Answer: (A)

When the connective tissue layers of a muscle come together at the ends, they fuse to form a tendon. Each muscle is wrapped in layers—the endomysium around individual fibers, the perimysium around fascicles, and the epimysium around the whole muscle. At the ends, these layers merge into a dense, rope-like structure made of tightly packed collagen fibers arranged to withstand pulling forces. That tendon then attaches the muscle to a bone, transmitting the muscle’s contraction to produce movement. Ligaments connect bone to bone, not muscle to bone. Cartilage is a distinct tissue found in joints for support and cushioning. Fascia is a broader sheet or band of connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles and other structures but isn’t the attachment formed at the muscle’s ends.

When the connective tissue layers of a muscle come together at the ends, they fuse to form a tendon. Each muscle is wrapped in layers—the endomysium around individual fibers, the perimysium around fascicles, and the epimysium around the whole muscle. At the ends, these layers merge into a dense, rope-like structure made of tightly packed collagen fibers arranged to withstand pulling forces. That tendon then attaches the muscle to a bone, transmitting the muscle’s contraction to produce movement.

Ligaments connect bone to bone, not muscle to bone. Cartilage is a distinct tissue found in joints for support and cushioning. Fascia is a broader sheet or band of connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles and other structures but isn’t the attachment formed at the muscle’s ends.