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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for June 14, 1999
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collagen [n. KOL-uh-jun]
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Collagen is the protein that holds most animal tissues together. It
is one of the "cellular glues" that connect muscles to each other and
to the skin and bones, and it even shapes the structures of the bones
themselves.
The word comes from one of the original uses of this protein, which
was to make glue by boiling the tendons and connective tissues of
animals. The first part is from the Greek kolla (glue), which also
gave us collage (art made by glueing cut-outs or other objects onto a
surface) and collodion (a medical adhesive).
The suffix -gen is from the Greek -genes (to be born), so collagen is
literally the protein from which glue is born (made). Here are more
"birth" words:
generate: to bring into being or give rise to
oxygen: a gas that can take part in the formation (birth) of acids
androgen: a hormone that controls development of male characteristics
Today's Cool Fact is about collagen:
http://www.cool-fact.com/archive/1999/06/14.html
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