Abstract: Collagen, a major component of the extracellular matrix, is the most abundant protein in vertebrates. The history of collagen research is inextricably linked to the process of understanding the nature of life, which has taken centuries to establish from the fiber theory to cell theory. Over the past hundred years, the application of collagen has gradually expanded from leather preparation and adhesives to food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biomaterials. In recent years, it has expanded to tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and stem cell targeted transformation. The history of collagen research, the scope of application, the application of related technologies, and the milestones or results achieved were reviewed in the light of the available literature reports and related research experiences. The aim was to provide researchers in the field of collagen with the latest trends in collagen research, so that they can fully understand the relationship between technological advances and scientific research, while helping to promote the intersection and integration of different research fields.

Key words: collagen, extracellular matrix, collage-cell interaction, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine