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Article: The collagen connection. (collagen in the body)
- Article from:
- FDA Consumer
- Article date:
- June 1, 1985
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1985 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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It is the chief constituent of skin and body connective tissue. It is the living component of bone. It gets its name from the Greek words kolla (glue) and gennan (to produce). It is collagen--according to Dr. Christopher Lovell of St. John's Hospital in London, "the most important structural protein in the entire animal kingdom."
Collagen makes up 25 percent of all prtein in the human body. Its primary function is to act as a connection structure and give mechanical stability to the entire body.
Collagen is essential for maintaining both durability and flexibility. It performs this role by arranging itself in various patterns according to function. ...