Which type of dense connective tissue proper attaches muscle to bone?

• A. Ligament (dense regular connective tissue)
• B. Areolar connective tissue (loose connective tissue)
• C. Tendon (dense regular connective tissue)
• D. Dense irregular connective tissue (e.g., dermis of skin)

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the types of connective tissue proper, which include dense and loose connective tissues. Dense connective tissues are further classified into dense regular and dense irregular connective tissues based on the arrangement of collagen fibers.
2. Step 2: Recognize that dense regular connective tissue has collagen fibers arranged in parallel bundles, which provides great tensile strength in one direction, making it ideal for connecting structures that experience unidirectional stress.
3. Step 3: Identify the function of tendons and ligaments: tendons connect muscle to bone, while ligaments connect bone to bone. Both are composed primarily of dense regular connective tissue due to the need for strong, organized fibers.
4. Step 4: Note that areolar connective tissue is a loose connective tissue, which is more flexible and less dense, and is not specialized for strong attachments like tendons or ligaments.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the dense regular connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone is called a tendon, distinguishing it from ligaments (which connect bone to bone) and other connective tissue types.