collagen

American  

[kol-uh-juhn] / ˈkɒl ə dʒən /

noun

Biochemistry.

collagens plural

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

Derived Forms

• collagenic
  adjective
• collagenous
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• collagens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of collagen

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

Explanation

Collagen is a protein that keeps your bones strong and allows your skin to stretch and heal after injuries. One of the reasons we get wrinkles as we age is because we gradually lose collagen. Collagen is the most common protein in all mammals, including humans, and it's an important one, as it helps keep us strong and healthy. The word comes from a Greek root, kolla that means "glue." Most collagen is found in the connective tissue between our bones, and its loss can result in achy joints. Some people believe that taking collagen supplements (made from tissue and bones of animals) can improve their health and reduce this pain.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collagen collagens

This means that measuring only how much collagen is present may provide an incomplete picture of tissue health.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

Collagen normally gives tissue structure and strength, but excessive collagen can make a valve thicker and stiffer, changing its shape and movement.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

Because they arrive fully trimmed, they can go straight into a low, slow smoke or a gentle braise, where the collagen breaks down into gelatin and the meat becomes tender enough to shred.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Without realising it, I had accumulated several pouches of creatine, vitamin D, magnesium, collagen, an all-in-one green supplement, and some tablets designed to help with the ups and downs of perimenopause.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

For over a week I pored over electron micrographs of muscle and collagen fibers, looking for hints of helices.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Both proteins bind to each other and are essential for the export of collagens from their site of synthesis inside the cell to the exterior.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 24, 2024

Within the cuticle layer, the research study focused on collagens, which are the most abundant family of proteins in our bodies and help keep bodily materials conjoined.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 21, 2023

Still another genetically engineers microbes to produce collagens, which are then turned into textile fibers.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 28, 2022

Not nearly as inactive as the name suggests, senescent cells contribute to chronic inflammation and interfere with protective collagens.

From The New Yorker ● Oct. 28, 2019

A long sous-vide bath breaks down the collagens while keeping the texture of the meat intact.

From New York Times ● Oct. 10, 2016