Knowledge for the Advanced
Colla-glue, genno-birth. “Birth-glue” as translated from the Greek. This word describes the function of collagen as a protein bonding the elements of the cell, making possible the formation of individual tissue and organ cells. Collagen is constantly replaced throughout the life of the organism. The longest lasting collagen is found in the bones which are replaced every year, while the shortest-lived is in the liver, where it lasts one month.
Collagen is a simple protein, made up of amino-acids, belonging to the category of fibrous proteins, or more formally-fibril scleroproteins. It is constructed from long, spiral peptide chains, from which there are 19 to 105 amino-acids. The most important of these are: proline, glycine, hydroxiproline and hydroxilizine, with the last two not occurring in practically any other proteins.
Amino acids on the other hand are made from the elements of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen and which have reacted with nitrogen atoms. The joining together of 100 amino-acids leads to the formation of a poly-peptide chain. Thus a protein is born. So too is collagen.
In the case of collagen, the contents of its chain cause them to form a spiral of spatial dimension, called a superhelix.
A key feature of the collagen superhelix is its redundant sequence of three radical amino acids of a general X_Y_Z formula, where Y and Z are the radicals built into the polypeptide chain. The protein spiral chain is held together by a weak hydrogen bond. These bonds may be broken in the collagen of a living organism during periods of illness, for example, a major infectious reaction. Just as a human being will die when the body temperature exceeds 42°C, so too will collagen from fresh-water fish, lose its spiral form at temperatures higher than its natural environment.
Collagen occurring in our skin is arranged as in the above picture. No collagen used in the world of cosmetology today-as an implant of ingredient of cream-maintains its triple helix.
This is precisely the secret of our ingenious Polish discovery.
The dissolving of the triple helix in collagen obtained from fish also occurs with unusual ease. A number of factors, e.g. the presence of bacteria or a significant rise in temperature, could be enough to start the process of decomposition of the enzymes and for the particles to lose their spiral structure. Collagen then loses its biological activity, and part of its best attributes. Denaturalization slowly begins, followed by coagulation. It then ceases to be an elixir of youth, and becomes an ordinary moisturizing gel. American [E.Gibson, L. Chang 2002] and French [J.Roche 2003] researchers have sited time, alongside temperature and acidity, as factors in the context of the absorption of collagen preparations.
It is therefore necessary to state that even the best known collagen preparations to date, created by Polish producers, maintain their lasting spatial structure only to 28.1°C, which appears to be the limit of biotechnical achievement.
The temperature of the human body-about 37°C, causes collagen to despiralize when applied in an absorbable gel, in about 50-55 minutes.
It is not enough therefore, to simply say that you have obtained collage from fish skin, emulsified it inot a gel, and now you have an elixir of youth-as many firms try to claim.
In order to fully understand what exactly this revolution in cosmetology is all about, we must first analyse what we have just begun to learn about it. That collagen and elastin are the proteins that support the skin, ensuring its tension, humidification, resilience, elasticity and firmness.
At more or less the age of 25, the skin begins to slowly lose its virtues, just as muscles lose strength and bones surrender calcium. All of these symptoms of aging come about from a deficiency of soluble collagen, whose biosynthesis weakens with age.
After 30 years of age, in practically every person, the sebaceous and sweat glands begin to degenerate, creating dry and flabby skin. Wrinkles appear. The weakening of the elastin and collagen fibrils also occurs. These form the most important components in the subcutaneous layer. Free radicals, toxins and enzymes, known as collagenases, destroy the protein fibrils. While in the rest of the organism, the levels of microelements and vitamins, stimulating the natural production of collagen by fibroblasts and chondrocytes, also begin to fall.
The replenishment of collagen by the organism continues, although the further it ages, the more the process of degradation advances. Specifically through the process of synthesis of soluble collagen, which until now ensured the elasticity and swelling abilities of the skin, due to its propensity to bond with water.
Natural Collagen is a collagen water solution containing elastin, with co-emulsifiers and lactic acid. The refusal of the producer to employ any type of coloring or aromas, (nor chemical preservatives) results more from the maximum demand to protect the triple helix, than a desire to be environmentally conscious. Lactic acid is an acidic reaction whose spatial tripocollagen structure is not harmful, but in fact its keratolic action accelerates the exfoliation of the epidermis, and the lightening of spots. This loosening of the corneocytes allows the products of collagen breakdown (sealed in extra particles of the polyunsaturated Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids) to reach the extrastitial space of the skin.
The absorbable gel offered by KOLAGENA™, creates a protein net, penetrating to the deepest layers of the skin. This forms a framework for the production of new low-level collagen by keratinocytes. Research on human skin cells grown in a laboratory, and viewed under an electron microscope, confirms an increase in high-level collagen production by the fibroblasts, thickening of the epidermis, and an increase in the amount of mucin and sluice substances in the papillary layer of skin.
The ability of this preparation to be absorbed by the skin has shocked clinicians.
Around 30 minutes after being applied to the epidermis-the products of collagen breakdown, start to be biophysically detected in the area of the interstitial fibroblast matrix.
Less than two days following collagen application, there is a clearly visible increase in the level of hydroxyproline, around the chondrocytes producing collagen in the bones. These are the results of objective research, from various facilities, corroborating each other.
Natural Collagen has also gained very positive reviews from cosmetology studios, beauty salons, biological renewal centers and most importantly-consumer surveys.
