What is Collagen

From the Latin, collagen,"colla" and "genmen" means glue. By definition, collagen represents the glue of the body. Therefore, we can define collagen as being the glue that holds all of our connective tissues together (bones, cartilage, muscles tendons, ligaments and skin.).

The connective tissues contain two fibrous proteins: collagen and elastin. These two proteins give the cartilage its resistance and elasticity which allows the long fibres of collagen combined with the proteoglycan molecule to form our cartilage. Here is how it works in the body:

- The connective tissue is found in the muscles(3 collagen and 1 elastin); the tendons(3 collagen and 1 elastin); the ligaments(1 collagen and 3 elastin); the cartilage (3 collagen and 1 elastin); the bones(3 collagen); the skin(3 collagen and 2 elastin); the lungs (2 collagen and 3 elastin). The connective tissues rich in proteoglycans formed of polysaccharides (95%) and protein (5%), form what represents the internal muscles. Collagen represents 80% of our connective tissues and 30% of the proteins in our organism. We have connective tissues in almost all parts of our body.