Collagen

Collagen is a fibrous protein found in cartilage and other connective tissue.

Do Collagen Supplements Work? Science-Backed Benefits for Skin, Joints, and Muscles

This article examines how oral collagen supplements affect skin, joint, and muscle health by reviewing the latest clinical research. It also discusses the mechanisms, sources, safety, and limitations of collagen supplementation.

What is Collagen?

Collagen Synthesis

Collagen Uses

Collagen Degradation Pathways in Humans

Collagen Molecular Structure

Collagen Fibrillar Structure

Dermal Fillers

Collagen Types and Linked Disorders

Collagen Medical Uses

Cosmetic & Medical Injectables Overview

Latest Collagen News and Research

Study reveals how bacterial collagenase efficiently breaks down collagen

Collagen is an important protein that helps build the tissues of humans and animals. It is very strong because it is made of three protein strands twisted tightly together like a rope. Because of this sturdy structure, ordinary protein-cutting enzymes usually cannot break it down.

3 Apr 2026

Oral molecule prevents kidney stones and restores survival in mice

Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have shown that an orally administered small molecule, N-propargylglycine (N-PPG), can completely prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, protect against kidney failure, and fully restore normal survival in a mouse model of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 2 (PH2), a rare and currently untreatable genetic disorder that causes progressive kidney failure in infants and young adults.

2 Apr 2026

Collaboration advances EMA601 as potential first-in-class stroke therapy

Boehringer Ingelheim and the Lower Franconian biotech company EMFRET Analytics have signed a cooperation and license agreement for the preclinical development program of the GPVI‑blocking antibody EMA601.

30 Mar 2026

Can collagen supplements really improve your skin?

Investigating collagen peptides, this review explores their role in skin aging, assessing clinical evidence and the mechanisms behind their potential benefits.

25 Mar 2026

Drug-releasing stitches aim to reduce inflammation and improve healing

Deep cuts from accidents or surgeries require stitches, typically followed by oral anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. While these medications help with pain, they don't act specifically on the wounds.

24 Mar 2026

Palmatine improved fatty liver markers in a preclinical type 2 diabetes study

Researchers used a bioinformatics-plus-rat-model approach to investigate how palmatine may help treat T2DM-associated MASLD, identifying five core targets: ADRB2, BCL3, EGR1, FOS, and MAP3K8. In rats, palmatine improved liver injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, glycolipid metabolism, steatosis, and fibrosis, while reducing apoptosis-related signaling, providing a preclinical foundation for further therapeutic study.

23 Mar 2026

Study reveals new way to fully regenerate the scarred skin

Could wounded skin someday regrow perfectly without scars?

23 Mar 2026

New mechanism drives adverse tumor remodeling during breast cancer progression

A research group led by Professor Cecilia Sahlgren at Åbo Akademi University (Finland) and the InFLAMES Research Flagship has identified a new mechanism directing the adverse remodeling of tumor tissue during breast cancer progression.

18 Mar 2026

Researchers identify cellular drivers of gut scarring in Crohn’s disease

As inflamed regions of the gut form scar tissue, the space within the gut lumen becomes smaller and more restricted, leading to symptoms of gut obstruction.

16 Mar 2026

Pen-strep treatment rewires mechanical sensing in immune cells

Macrophages are central to mechanobiology research: their physical characteristics-stiffness, adhesion, and ECM (extracellular matrix) sensing-are inextricably linked to their phenotypic polarization and immune function.

13 Mar 2026

Alginate-enhanced gel improves organoid development

Miniature organs grown in the lab can organize themselves into complex shapes. But they never do it the same way twice, which makes it hard to use these so-called 'organoids' to study disease.

10 Mar 2026

Novel microneedle patch accelerates healing of chronic diabetic wounds using light

Researchers from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Southeast University, and Wenzhou Medical University have developed a novel microneedle patch that combines MXene hydrogel with nitric oxide (NO) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) plasmid for enhanced diabetic wound treatment.

10 Mar 2026

Cellular roadmap offers new targets for improving rotator cuff surgical repair

Rotator cuff tears are among the most common and debilitating musculoskeletal injuries, frequently causing chronic pain, reduced shoulder mobility, and a high risk of re-injury even after surgical repair.

9 Mar 2026

New compound shows promise in protecting the liver from damage after small bowel surgery

When parts of the small intestine are diseased or die, the treatment can involve surgically removing the affected tissue.

6 Mar 2026

Repurposed kidney drug finerenone shows promise in treating premature ovarian insufficiency

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinically significant cause of infertility that affects between 1 to 3% of women of childbearing age.

5 Mar 2026

Copper metabolism identified as a new therapeutic target for inflammatory osteolysis

Inflammatory osteolysis is a condition involving progressive bone tissue destruction and is observed in many well-known skeletal disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic apical periodontitis.

5 Mar 2026

Study sheds light on potential therapeutic strategies for post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis often affects younger, active individuals and progresses quickly following ligament or cartilage injury.

4 Mar 2026

NLRP3 inflammasome plays dual, time-dependent roles during acute wound healing

Wound healing is a multistep biological process involving inflammation, tissue formation, and remodeling.

2 Mar 2026

Lingering brain inflammation found after mild COVID infection

Even a mild case of COVID-19 or the flu can impact the body long after the fever and cough fade, according to new Tulane University research that may help explain why some people struggle to feel fully recovered weeks or months later.

25 Feb 2026

ATG14 found to be a critical defender against hepatic injury and fibrosis

Autophagy is indispensable for maintaining hepatocyte integrity, metabolic homeostasis, and survival. While several autophagy-related proteins have been studied in hepatic physiology, the specific role of Autophagy Related 14 (ATG14) in liver health has remained unclear.

24 Feb 2026