Enthesis

Enthesis
Typical Joint
Identifiers
Code	TH H3.03.00.0.00034
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terminology [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

The enthesis (plural: entheses) is the connective tissue between tendon or ligament and bone.

There are two types of entheses: Fibrous entheses and fibrocartilaginous entheses.

In a fibrous enthesis, the collagenous tendon or ligament directly attaches to the bone, whereas the fibrocartilaginous interface encompasses four transition zones:

1. Tendinous area displaying longitudinally oriented fibroblasts and a parallel arrangement of collagen fibres
2. Fibrocartilaginous region of variable thickness where the structure of the cells changes to chondrocytes
3. Abrupt transition from cartilaginous to calcified fibrocartilage—the so-called 'tidemark' or 'blue line'
4. Bone

Etymology

"Enthesis" is rooted in the Ancient Greek word, "ἔνθεσις" or "énthesis," meaning “putting in," or "insertion." This refers to the role of the enthesis as the site of attachment of bones with tendons or ligaments.

Pathology

A disease of the entheses is known as an enthesopathy or enthesitis. Enthetic degeneration is characteristic of spondyloarthropathy and other pathologies.

The enthesis is the primary site of disease in ankylosing spondylitis.

See also

• Sharpey's fibres

External links

• Enthesis information site at www.enthesis.info
• Image of enthesis at Medscape
• Enthesopathy and Soft Tissue Shadows at chiroweb.com