Biomedical and industrial applications of collagen

Collagen is the principal structural protein present in the skin, tendon an d bone of the vertebrate body. Ten different vertebrate collagens have been identified, of which the dominant collagen is type I. Interest in collagen as a biomaterial is due to its low immunogenicity and high biocompatibilit y. Collagen has diverse general and biomedical applications and is also a c ommon constituent of many cosmetic and food products in the form of gelatin . This paper discusses the use of collagen in the fields of medicine and bi otechnology, as well as in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.