collagen
nounUK /ˈkɒləd͡ʒɪn/ · US /ˈkɑləd͡ʒən/
Etymology From French collagène, coined from Ancient Greek κόλλα (kólla, “glue”) and -γενής (-genḗs, “-forming”) (see -gen); it is the main substance that animal glues are derived from.
1
Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The main structural protein in the extracellular matrix of the connective tissues of many animals.
- Science cannot yet account for the conversion of collagen into gelatin.1843, R. F. Marchand, “On the Chemical Composition of the Bones”, in The Chemist, volume 4, page 57:
- Derived terms
- anticollagen, atelocollagen, azocollagen, collagenase, collagenated, collagenation, collagen disease, collageneous, collagenic, collagenization, collagenized, collagenolysis, collagenolytic, collagenoma, collagenopathy, collagenosis, collagenous, collectin, minicollagen, procollagen, protocollagen, tropocollagen