Research monograph · copper-binding tripeptide
Collagen Synthesis Studies
This monograph collects what the published literature reports about GHK-Cu — its mechanisms, the areas it is studied in, its molecular record and the sources behind them. Plasma concentrations decline substantially with age, which is part of what made it interesting to researchers. It is among the most-studied peptides in skin and connective-tissue literature, with published work covering collagen synthesis, gene expression and copper-dependent enzyme activity.
For laboratory research use only — not for human or animal use
Mechanisms
Copper Transport & Signaling
The tripeptide binds copper(II) with high affinity and carries it to the cell, where the metal becomes available to the enzymes that depend on it. That delivery role — rather than any direct action of the peptide itself — is what most of the mechanistic literature attributes its effects to.
ECM Remodeling & Repair
In fibroblast culture, exposure is reported to raise output of type I and III collagen alongside glycosaminoglycans and decorin. Those are the structural components of the extracellular matrix, which is why the compound recurs throughout connective-tissue repair work.
Genomic Reprogramming
Expression profiling has reported changes across several thousand human genes following exposure, spanning DNA repair, antioxidant and inflammatory pathways. The breadth of that signature is unusual, and it is the reason the compound is cited in gene-modulation research at all.
Studied applications
Wound-healing and skin-ageing models measure collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycan output after exposure. This is the largest single body of work on the compound.
Pickart et al. 2015
Follicle size, growth rate and cycle transition are the measured endpoints, reported in preclinical models rather than human trials.
Pickart et al. 2012
Profiling work reports modulation across several thousand genes, spanning DNA repair, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways.
Pickart & Margolina 2014
Chelation of free copper and upregulation of superoxide dismutase are the described routes, with oxidative damage measured as the outcome.
Maquart et al. 2014
What the published work measures
The endpoints reported across the literature for this compound. The figures belong to the individual papers, not to us.
Reference values
Scroll for full molecular data →
| Sequence | Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II) |
|---|---|
| Molecular weight | 403.90 g/mol |
| Molecular formula | C₁₄H₂₄CuN₆O₄ |
| Physical form | Lyophilized powder |
| Documented purity | Quantified by HPLC, reported per lot |
| Storage | -20°C for up to 24 months |
| Solubility | Water-soluble |
| Available sizes | 50mg, 100mg |
FAQ
GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide that occurs naturally in human plasma, where it was first identified in 1973. Plasma concentrations decline substantially with age, which is part of what made it interesting to researchers. It is among the most-studied peptides in skin and connective-tissue literature, with published work covering collagen synthesis, gene expression and copper-dependent enzyme activity.
Published research on GHK-Cu concentrates on Skin Regeneration, Hair Restoration, Gene Expression and Antioxidant Defense. Each of those areas is summarised further up this page with the citation it comes from, and the full reference list — 4 indexed publications — sits at the bottom. Study designs and concentrations vary considerably between publications, so the primary sources are worth reading directly.
The literature describes GHK-Cu acting across Copper Transport & Signaling, ECM Remodeling & Repair and Genomic Reprogramming, reported respectively as Copper Delivery, Collagen Synthesis and Gene Modulation. Those pathways are drawn from preclinical models rather than clinical work, and they describe what has been observed rather than a settled mechanism — the individual pathway cards above cite what each one is based on.
GHK-Cu has a molecular formula of C₁₄H₂₄CuN₆O₄, an average mass of 403.9 g/mol and the sequence Gly-His-Lys-Cu(II). It is indexed under CAS 49557-75-7. It ships as lyophilized powder. Those are nominal reference values for the parent compound. The identity of the specific material you receive is confirmed by mass spectrometry and reported on that lot's certificate.
Store the sealed vial at -20°C, protected from light and moisture, and let it reach room temperature before opening so condensation does not form on cold powder. GHK-Cu is water-soluble; reconstitute by directing the diluent down the vial wall rather than onto the powder, then swirl to dissolve rather than shaking. Keep reconstituted solution refrigerated and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles — solutions are far less stable than lyophilized powder.
No. GHK-Cu is supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and development. It is not a drug, food, supplement or cosmetic, it has not been evaluated by the FDA, and it is not intended for human or animal consumption, ingestion, injection or any in-vivo use. Ordering confirms you are a qualified researcher or institution purchasing on that basis.
Cited sources
Independent published research indexed from PubMed — not Routine Peptides claims.
Before you order
Every production run is analyzed by an independent laboratory, and the certificate for your lot travels with the order — not a catalog-wide document, and not a summary written by us.
