GHK-Cu
A copper-binding tripeptide (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) first isolated from human plasma. Studied extensively in matrix and collagen literature.
- Also known as
- Copper tripeptide-1
- Molecular formula
- C14H24N6O4Cu
- CAS number
- 89030-95-5
- Form supplied
- Lyophilised powder, sealed vial
What has been published on GHK-Cu
GHK (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) was first isolated from human plasma in the 1970s, and its copper-binding complex GHK-Cu has one of the longer and better-replicated literatures of any compound in this catalogue, concentrated in dermatological and matrix biology research.
Lines of investigation in the literature
- Collagen and extracellular matrix synthesis. Fibroblast culture work examining collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycan production.
- Copper transport. The peptide has high affinity for copper(II), and a large part of the mechanistic literature concerns it as a physiological copper carrier.
- Gene expression profiling. Broad transcriptional studies examining effects across large numbers of human genes in cultured cells.
- Wound and skin models. Animal and ex-vivo work on repair, plus a long history of use in cosmetic formulation research.
What the literature does not establish
Much of the strongest evidence is in-vitro, and cosmetic-science literature carries commercial involvement that is worth reading for. Effects in cell culture at defined concentrations do not establish outcomes in any living system.
Summaries of published research, provided as context for laboratory work. Findings described are from in-vitro and animal models unless stated otherwise, and nothing here is evidence of any effect in humans or a basis for use in any living subject.