A tendon is best described as which of the following?

• A. Cord-like structure
• B. A nerve fiber
• C. A membrane
• D. A bone

Answer: (C)

Tendons are cord-like structures formed by dense regular connective tissue. They consist mainly of parallel collagen fibers (mostly type I) produced by tenocytes, aligned to resist tensile forces along the length of the tendon. This organization lets a muscle’s contraction be efficiently transmitted to a bone to produce movement. Tendons connect muscle to bone at the myotendinous junction and anchor to bone at the enthesis. They are not nerves, membranes, or bones—their role is to transfer force, not conduct impulses, separate surfaces with a membrane, or form mineralized skeletal tissue.