Collagen facts for kids
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Collagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins. In nature, it is found exclusively in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals.
It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals. It makes up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content.
Collagen, in the form of elongated fibrils, is mostly found in fibrous tissues such as tendon, ligament and skin, and is also abundant in cornea, cartilage, bone, blood vessels, the gut, and intervertebral discs.
Collagen constitutes 1% to 2% of muscle tissue, and accounts for 6% of the weight of strong, tendinous muscles.
Gelatin, which is used in food and industry, is collagen that has been irreversibly hydrolyzed.
Images for kids
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Tropocollagen molecule: three left-handed procollagens (red, green, blue) join to form a right-handed triple helical tropocollagen.
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Three polypeptides coil to form tropocollagen. Many tropocollagens then bind together to form a fibril, and many of these then form a fibre.
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The D-period of collagen fibrils results in visible 67nm bands when observed by electron microscopy.
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A salami and the collagen casing (below) it came in
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See also
In Spanish: Colágeno para niños
