The Achilles tendon is a powerful body part connecting calf muscle to heel bone, enabling springing leaps and hurdles that make sports stars seem superhuman. But exactly how it connects to the bone hasn’t been fully understood — until now. Researchers from multiple disciplines took a microscopic look and found an extremely thin tissue layer that enables the tendon’s great expansive strength.
A team of biochemists and biophysicists from the Technical University of Munich headed by physician Dr. Rainer Burgkart applied a sequence of investigatory methods to get a close look. First, a series of multiscale microscopic photos of the boundary layer between tendon and bone were combined into a single large image, which revealed the former’s tissue splitting into dozens of tiny fibers.
via Engadget
Image: Technical University of Munich
