Sharpeys

Sharpeys refers to Sharpey's fibers, a term used in anatomy to describe bundles of collagen fibers that secure the periosteum to the underlying bone. They are also known as perforating fibers, forming a network that extends from the periosteum into the outer cortical bone and into the superficial lamellae.

These fibers are primarily composed of type I collagen and run perpendicular or obliquely to the bone surface. They are most prominent at tendon and ligament insertion sites, where they anchor soft tissue to bone and facilitate the transmission of mechanical load from muscle to skeleton. They help distribute stress and contribute to the structural stability of joints and attachments.

Sharpey's fibers are present throughout the skeleton but are especially evident in regions subjected to high tensile forces, such as near tuberosities and at the insertions of major tendons and ligaments. Histological examination reveals bundles penetrating the periosteum and entering the outer bone matrix, where they become integrated with calcified bone.

The term honors the 19th-century anatomist William Sharpey, who described the fibers as part of the connective interface between tendon and bone. In discussions of bone remodeling and fracture healing, Sharpey's fibers are noted for their role in anchorage and for how they remodel along with bone during growth and repair.