collagen

American

[kol-uh-juhn] / ˈkɒl ə dʒən /

noun

Biochemistry.

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.

collagen British

/ ˈkɒlədʒən, ˌkɒləˈdʒɛnɪk, kəˈlædʒənəs /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

collagen Scientific

/ kŏl′ə-jən /

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.

Other Word Forms

collagenic adjective
collagenous adjective

Etymology

Origin of collagen

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Taking daily collagen supplements can rejuvenate the skin by boosting elasticity and hydration or moisture - but it won't stop wrinkles, says a new scientific review.

From BBC

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.

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023