collagen

American  

[kol-uh-juhn] / ˈkɒl ə dʒən /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any of a class of extracellular proteins abundant in higher animals, especially in the skin, bone, cartilage, tendon, and teeth, forming strong insoluble fibers and serving as connective tissue between cells, yielding gelatin when denatured by boiling.

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collagen British  

/ ˈkɒlədʒən, ˌkɒləˈdʒɛnɪk, kəˈlædʒənəs /

noun

1. a fibrous scleroprotein of connective tissue and bones that is rich in glycine and proline and yields gelatine on boiling

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collagen Scientific  

/ kŏl′ə-jən /

1. Any of various tough, fibrous proteins found in bone, cartilage, skin, and other connective tissue. Collagens have great tensile strength, and provide these body structures with the ability to withstand forces that stretch them. Collagens consist of three polypeptide chains arranged in a triple helix, and are bundled together in fibers. When boiled in water, collagen is converted into gelatin.

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Other Word Forms

• collagenic adjective
• collagenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of collagen

First recorded in 1860–65; from Greek kólla “glue” + -gen

Example Sentences

Specifically, more crosslinks formed within the collagen fibers that provide tendons with their strength and structure.

From Science Daily

Farah Moustafa, MD, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and a dermatologist with Tufts Medical Center, explains that collagen supplements are not a proven solution for skin aging.

From Science Daily

To understand what caused this rigidity, the team examined collagen, a structural protein that becomes more abundant and changes form during scarring.

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Chondrocytes begin releasing inflammatory molecules and breaking down collagen, the main structural protein in cartilage.

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While silybin led to modest improvements in liver enzymes, collagen buildup, and fibrotic gene expression, its benefits appeared to come mainly from protecting liver cells rather than directly blocking stellate cell activation.

From Science Daily