The |patella| (kneecap) is a small bone of the |knee joint| which resembles an inverted teardrop. The |patella| is connected to the joint by the medial and patellar retinaculum ligaments and to the ~tuberosity~ of the |tibia| by the patellar ~ligament~. It is not visible in the ~posterior~ (rear) view and is removed in the ~anterior~ (front) view to show the articulation and connective tissues of the bones beneath.