Collagen

Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue. It has great tensile strength, and is the main component of ligaments and tendons. It is responsible for skin elasticity, and its degradation leads to wrinkles that accompany aging. Collagen also fills out the cornea where it is present in crystalline form. It is also used in cosmetic surgery, for example lip enhancement.

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Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals.

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Collagen has an unusual amino acid composition. It contains large amounts of glycine and proline, as well as two amino acids that are not inserted directly by ribosomes – hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine – the former composing a rather large percentage of the total amino acids. They are derivatised from proline and lysine in enzymatic processes of post translational modification, for which vitamin C is required. This is related to why vitamin C deficiencies can cause scurvy, a disease that leads to loss of teeth and easy bruising caused by a reduction in strength of connective tissue due to a lack of collagen or defective collagen.

Protein: A protein (in Greek πρωτεϊνη = first thread) is a complex, high-molecular-weight organic compound that consists of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are essential to the structure and function of all living cells and viruses....

Connective tissue: Connective tissue is any type of biological tissue with an extensive extracellular matrix and often serves to support, bind together, and protect organs. There are four basic types:...

Tensile strength: The tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress that it can be subjected to before it breaks. This is an important concept in engineering, especially in the fields of material science, mechanical engineering and structural engineering....

Collagen related Images and Photos (experimental)

Dense Connective Tissue Irregular with Collagen Fibers