LIGAMENT (Lat. /igamentain, hand, from ligare, to bind). A cord, band, or membranous expansion of fibrous tissue passing in a fixed direction from one bone to another, and serving to limit and control the movements of joints. Ligaments are divided into three classes: (1) Capsular (Lrtt. capsula. a small box) : (2) fascic ular (Lat. f(tscis, a bundle) ; and (3) funicular (Lat. fun is, a rope). (1) Capsular ligaments are cylindrical expansions which are attached by their extremities around the margins of the ar ticulating surfaces composing the joint. (2) Fas cicular ligaments are flattened bands of various shapes and widths. (3) Funicular ligaments are round on section, and shaped like a heavy cord, as the ligainrutsin byres of the hip-joint.
Two ligaments in the body. the ligamcntunt. sulglara and the lignmenium nudity, both of which are connected with the spinal column, are composed of yellow elastic tissue. All other ligaments in the body are composed of white fibrous tissue.
The various ligaments result from metamor phosis and retrogression of musele-tissue, with but few exceptions. In a few eases ligaments
represent the degenerate remains of cartilage or bone. Capsular ligaments are derived from the periostemm and are strengthened by the in corporation of tendons of adjacent muscles.
The term of muscles' is applied in myology to an alteration of a point of attach ment of a muscle. occurring during tissue elmnges in low vertebrate forms, whereby a point of origin of a muscle shifts from a posi tion below a joint, for example, to a position above the joint. The former position of the muscle end is occupied by a ligament under which form part of the muscle tissue persists. An excellent example is the external lateral ligament of the knee-joint, which represents the tendon of the peronrus longus, this muscle hav ing migrated from the femnr to the head of the See JOINTS. Consult Morris, H Untan Anatomy (Philadelphia, 1902).