collagen

See also: Collagen and col·lagen

English

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. Doublet of collage, colloid, and protocol.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkɒləd͡ʒən/, /ˈkɒləd͡ʒɪn/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

collagen (countable and uncountable, plural collagens)

  1. (biochemistry) The main structural protein in the extracellular matrix of the connective tissues of many animals.
    • 1843, R. F. Marchand, “On the Chemical Composition of the Bones”, in The Chemist, volume 4, page 57:
      Science cannot yet account for the conversion of collagen into gelatin.

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