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Collagen

Question: What is collagen?

Answer: The major protein (comprising over half of that in mammals) of the white fibers of connective tissue, cartilage, and bone, that is insoluble in water but can be altered to easily digestible, soluble gelatins by boiling in water, dilute acids, or alkalies. It is high in glycine, L-alanine, L-proline, and L-4-hydroxyproline, but is low in sulfur and has no L-tryptophan. Collagen comprises a family of genetically distinct molecules all of which have a unique triple helix configuration of three polypeptide subunits known as )-chains; 11 types of collagen have been identified, each with a different polypeptide chain.

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