Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid are a great team!
HA performs several structural tasks in the extracellular matrix as it binds with cells and other biological components through specific and non-specific interactions. Several extracellular matrix proteins are stabilized upon binding to HA.
HA can include several thousand sugar molecules in the backbone. It is a polyanion that can self-associate and that can also bind to water molecules (when not bound to other molecules) giving it a stiff, viscous quality similar to gelatin.