Thorpe, CT; Birch, HL; Clegg, PD; Screen, HRC; (2015) Tendon Physiology and Mechanical Behavior: Structure-Function Relationships. In: Gomes, M and Reis, R and Rodrigues, M, (eds.) Tendon Regeneration Understanding Tissue Physiology and Development to Engineer Functional Substitutes. (pp. 3-39). Elsevier: London, UK.

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Abstract

Tendons are composed of highly aligned collagen, arranged along the long axis for tensile strength. The collagen is arranged in a series of hierarchical levels, surrounded at each level with a predominantly noncollagenous matrix of varying composition. This composite arrangement of fibers in matrix results in a tough tissue, resistant to injury. It also enables subtle variations in composition and organization between tendons with functionally distinct roles, optimizing their mechanics. Tendons can broadly be categorized as positional or energy storing in function. Positional tendons are relatively stiff, to efficiently transfer forces from muscle and position limbs. By contrast, energy-storing tendons are less stiff and more elastic, stretching and recoiling with each stride to store and return energy, reducing the energetic cost of locomotion. Multiscale mechanical, compositional, and organizational characterization of tendon is providing insight into structure–function optimization.

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