There are at least 28 distinct types of collagen, but types I, II, III, IV, and V are the most prevalent. Each type is encoded by specific collagen genes such as COL1A1 and COL1A2 for type I collagen, COL2A1 for type II collagen, and COL3A1 for type III collagen. These genes are essential for the proper formation of collagen fibrils and networks.
