*2.3. Molecular Weight Analysis*

The electrophoretic pattern of the skin collagen was shown in Figure 2A. The electrophoretic pattern of ASC and PSC was comparable, which was comprised of three distinct bands, α1, α<sup>2</sup> and β chains. However, there was some smaller molecular weight component observed in the PSC electrophoretic pattern, which was due to the hydrolysis of pepsin at the telopeptide region. The present finding of the collagen molecular pattern (α1, α<sup>2</sup> and β) was a characteristic type I collagen electrophoretic profile and was comparable with other teleost fish species [18].
