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collagen - 7 dictionary results

col⋅la⋅gen

[kol-uh-juhn]
–noun Biochemistry.
any of a class of extracellular proteins abundant in higher animals, esp. 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.

Origin:
1860–65; < Gk kólla glue + -gen


col⋅lag⋅e⋅nous [kuh-laj-uh-nuhs] , adjective
col·la·gen   (kŏl'ə-jən)   
n.  The fibrous protein constituent of bone, cartilage, tendon, and other connective tissue. It is converted into gelatin by boiling.

[Greek kolla, glue + -gen.]
col'la·gen'ic (-jěn'ĭk), col·lag'e·nous (kə-lāj'ə-nəs) adj.

Collagen

Col"la*gen\, n. [Gr. ko`lla glue + -gen.] (Physiol. Chem.) The chemical basis of ordinary connective tissue, as of tendons or sinews and of bone. On being boiled in water it becomes gelatin or glue.

collagen 
c.1865, from Fr. collagène, from Gk. kolla "glue."

Main Entry: col·la·gen
Pronunciation: 'käl-&-j&n
Function: noun
: an insoluble fibrous protein of vertebrates that is the chiefconstituent of the fibrils of connective tissue (as in skin and tendons) and of the organic substance of bones and yields gelatin and glue on prolonged heating with water —col·la·gen·ic /"käl-&-'jen-ik/ adjectivecol·lag·e·nous /k&-'laj-&-n&s/ adjective

collagen col·la·gen (kŏl'ə-jən)
n.
The fibrous protein constituent of bone, cartilage, tendon, and other connective tissue that converts into gelatin by boiling.

collagen   (kŏl'ə-jən)  Pronunciation Key 
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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