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