From the Guidelines
Types of Collagen
The main types of collagen present in human cartilaginous structures are types II, IX, and XI.
- These types of collagen form the cross-banded fibrils that provide stiffness to the cartilage, with type II collagen being the most abundant, making up 90-95% of the collagen in the cartilage 1.
- Type I collagen is found in high density in the perichondrium, but it is almost completely absent in the cartilaginous matrix itself 1.
- The presence of type IX and XI collagen is also noted, although their specific functions and distributions within the cartilage are not as well-defined as that of type II collagen 1.
- The high density of type II collagen in the peripheral zones of the septal cartilage suggests that one of the primary tasks of the septum is to provide stiffness to the external nose 1.
From the Research
Types of Collagen
There are approximately 28 different types of collagen found in the human body 2. The five most commonly applied types of collagen in supplements are:
- Type I
- Type II
- Type III
- Type V
- Type X
Classification of Collagen
Collagen can be classified into two main categories:
- Fibrillar collagens: include types I, II, III, V, XI, XXIV, and XXVII 2
- Non-fibrillar collagens: include types IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXV, XXVI, XXVIII, and XXIX 2
Locations of Different Collagen Types
Different types of collagen can be found in various locations in the body, including:
- Type I: bone, skin, tendon, cornea, and vascular ligature 2
- Type II: cartilage, vitreous body, and gristle 2
- Type III: skin, uterus, intestine, and vessels 2
- Type IV: capillaries, epithelium-secreted layer of the basement membrane, and forms basal lamina 2
- Type V: bones, skin, cornea, hair, placenta, and cell surfaces 2
- Type VI: bones, skin, gristle, cornea, and vessels 2
- Type VII: skin, bladder, mucous membranes, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord 2
- Type VIII: skin, heart, kidney, brain, bones, gristle, and vessels 2
- Type X: gristle 2
- Type XI: gristle 2
- Type IX: gristle 2
Importance of Collagen
Collagen plays a critical role in maintaining the body's structural integrity and is essential for the structural integrity of various tissues 3. It is also involved in controlling cell adhesion, cell migration, and tissue repair 4.