This compound is supplied for in-vitro and preclinical research only. It is not a medicinal product. It is not approved for human or veterinary use in any jurisdiction. No therapeutic, medicinal, cosmetic, or performance-enhancement claims are made or implied. By proceeding to inquire, you confirm you are an adult researcher acquiring this compound within your own research framework. Full terms on the Research Use Only page.
GHK-Cu
100 mg freeze-dried vial, copper-bound tripeptide
Compound specifications, chemistry, and storage.
Technical specifications
Specimen format| Compound name | GHK-Cu (Glycyl-Histidyl-Lysine, Copper Complex) |
| Also known as | Copper peptide, glycyl-histidyl-lysine, GHK copper, tripeptide-1 copper complex |
| CAS number | 49557-75-7 |
| PubChem CID | 73587 → |
| InChI Key | OTNWAZIJOZQYBO-CHWSQXEVSA-L |
| SMILES | Reference SMILES on COA |
| Empirical formula (Hill notation) | C14H23CuN6O4 |
| Molecular weight | 402.93 g/mol (monoisotopic mass: 402.10) |
| Salt form | Copper(II) acetate complex |
| Counter-ion content | Quantified per batch on COA. Custom salt forms (chloride, ammonium, TFA) available on quote. |
| Sequence (1-letter) | GHK |
| Sequence (3-letter) | Gly-His-Lys |
| Length | 3 amino acids (tripeptide), copper-bound |
| Weight basis | Gross weight per industry standard. Net peptide content quantified on batch COA. |
| Quantity per vial | 100 mg |
| Format | Freeze-dried white powder or thin film, sealed under inert atmosphere. Why does the vial look empty? |
| Appearance | White freeze-dried cake or powder. May also appear as a thin film on the vial wall. |
| Solubility | Water soluble, reconstituted with bacteriostatic water (1 to 2 ml typical) |
| Solution colour | Clear and colourless when correctly reconstituted |
| Purity (HPLC) | Specification ≥98.5%, tested before listing |
| Identity confirmation | LC-MS, batch-specific spectrum on COA |
| Endotoxin (LAL) | Within Ph. Eur. specification, batch report on COA |
| Storage (freeze-dried) | 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, sealed, protected from light. Avoid thermal cycling. |
| Storage (reconstituted) | 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Use within 4 to 6 weeks. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw. |
| Shelf life | 24 months from synthesis date when storage conditions are maintained |
| Country of synthesis | EU partner facility, Ph. Eur. methodology references |
| Application | In-vitro and preclinical research only. Not for human or veterinary use. |
Wound healing & tissue regeneration
Primary research area. Studied for fibroblast proliferation, ECM remodeling, and copper-dependent signalling in cutaneous repair models.
Open research area → 02Anti-inflammatory & cytokine modulation
Secondary research area. Studied for inflammatory cascade modulation in chronic wound contexts.
Open research area →A copper-bound tripeptide, and what the published research says about it.
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine tripeptide. The free tripeptide occurs naturally in human plasma at decreasing concentrations across the human lifespan. Published research investigates copper-dependent signalling pathways, fibroblast proliferation, extracellular matrix remodelling, and wound-healing mechanisms in preclinical models. The sections below summarise what the published research investigates, what Cresten supplies, and what the certificate of analysis confirms.
Where GHK-Cu comes from.
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine tripeptide, a three-amino-acid sequence that occurs naturally in human plasma, saliva, and urine. The free GHK tripeptide was first identified in 1973 by Loren Pickart, who reported that it was present in human plasma at decreasing concentrations across the human lifespan. The copper-bound form is the species most studied in the published research, as the histidine residue binds copper(II) with high affinity at physiological pH.
The peptide is built by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis as the free tripeptide, then complexed with copper(II) chloride to form the GHK-Cu species. The complex is purified, freeze-dried, and sealed in vials. The molecular formula of the complex includes a copper atom and a chloride counterion, which is why the molecular weight on the certificate differs from the free tripeptide weight. Research suppliers most often supply the complex rather than the free tripeptide.
PubMed lists roughly 85 papers mentioning GHK or GHK-Cu as of 2026. The published research base is concentrated in fibroblast biology, wound-repair models, copper-transport biochemistry, and dermatological cell-culture studies. A separate body of work has examined gene-expression changes in cell-culture models exposed to the complex, using microarray and transcriptomic methods.
What the research looks at.
GHK-Cu mechanism research is built around copper transport. The complex acts as a copper carrier in studies of cell-culture media, with the histidine residue of the tripeptide coordinating the copper atom. Once associated with cells, the copper can be released into intracellular pools, where it is a required cofactor for several enzyme classes including lysyl oxidase. This dual-function role, peptide-as-carrier and copper-as-cofactor, runs through most of the published mechanism work.
A second strand looks at fibroblast biology in cell-culture and animal injury models. Studies have measured fibroblast proliferation rates, collagen synthesis output, and extracellular matrix remodelling in dermal fibroblast cultures exposed to the complex. The literature describes effects on the deposition of collagen and certain matrix-modifying enzymes; the precise signalling routes are not fully characterised.
"The copper-tripeptide complex is studied as a copper carrier and the released copper as an enzyme cofactor. The two roles are intertwined in the published research."
Gene-expression research has examined transcriptomic changes in cultured fibroblasts and skin cells exposed to GHK-Cu, with microarray studies reporting changes across hundreds of genes. The interpretation of these large gene-set changes remains an active area in the literature, and the experimental designs vary significantly between papers. Replication of specific gene-expression findings is mixed.
Where the published research does not go: there are no FDA or EMA approvals for any clinical indication, and the dose-response relationships established in cell culture have not been carried into large clinical trials. The compound is supplied as a research compound for laboratory and preclinical research only.
What the certificate confirms.
Every Cresten batch of GHK-Cu ships with a certificate from an analytical lab, against the test panel described on the Methodology page. The certificate that ships with your batch confirms:
The certificate format is shown on the batch verification page.
Where the published research on GHK-Cu lives.
PubMed indexes 200+ publications mentioning GHK-Cu as of 2026. Cresten does not curate a hand-selected reading list. Compound-specific selections influence which papers researchers find first; the unfiltered query, sortable by date, citation count, study type, and species, is queryable directly on PubMed.
Each result on PubMed links to the original journal record and, where available, full-text or open-access copies. Cresten supplies the compound; the literature is for the researcher to evaluate.
Open the full PubMed query →Opens at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov in a new tab. The query string is preserved so you can refine, filter, or export from there.
What this monograph is not
This monograph summarises what the published research looks at regarding GHK-Cu mechanism. It is not a therapeutic recommendation. It is not dosing guidance. It is not a clinical protocol. It is not medical advice.
Cresten Labs supplies GHK-Cu as a research compound for lab-based research only. The decision to investigate any compound in any research framework is the researcher’s decision, within their own ethical, legal, and methodological boundaries.
Cresten makes no claim about human therapeutic use, no claim about clinical effectiveness, no claim about safety in human use, and no claim that this compound has been reviewed by any regulator for any medical use.
Frequently asked questions about GHK-Cu
Common research-protocol and supply questions about GHK-Cu, with answers grounded in published peer-reviewed research and Cresten Labs supply practice. All information is for in vitro and preclinical research only.
What is GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu is copper tripeptide-1, a 3-amino-acid peptide (CAS 89030-95-5, molecular weight 402.92 g/mol). Cresten Labs supplies GHK-Cu as a freeze-dried vial for in vitro and preclinical research only, with each batch verified at Janoshik Analytical.
What does research suggest GHK-Cu does?
Published research investigates GHK-Cu for modulating extracellular matrix synthesis and copper-mediated signaling in fibroblast and skin research models. The compound is studied primarily in extracellular matrix, fibroblast collagen synthesis, and skin barrier research. GHK-Cu is supplied for research use only and is not approved by any regulator for medical use.
What is the typical GHK-Cu dosage in published research?
Published GHK-Cu dosage in research protocols ranges from 1 to 3 mg per administration in research protocols, administered subcutaneously (research) or topically (cosmetic research), with daily dosing in extracellular-matrix and skin barrier research. Cresten Labs publishes the typical GHK-Cu protocol ranges as research-protocol references only; this is not dosing guidance for human use.
How do I reconstitute GHK-Cu for research?
Standard GHK-Cu reconstitution adds 2 mL plain bacteriostatic water for the 100 mg vial. Cresten ships lyophilized GHK-Cu vials for reconstitution by the researcher per their protocol.
What is the GHK-Cu half-life and how is GHK-Cu storage handled?
Published research reports GHK-Cu systemic half-life at approximately 2 to 6 hours systemic when administered subcutaneously. GHK-Cu storage: lyophilized vial stable at room temperature for shipping; reconstituted solution stored at 2 to 8 °C and used within 28 days. Avoid light exposure.. The Cresten certificate of analysis lists the synthesis date, batch identifier, and the storage conditions verified for this specific batch.
GHK-Cu vs BPC-157: how do they compare in research?
In published research comparing GHK-Cu vs BPC-157, GHK-Cu is an anchor compound in the KLOW and GLOW research blends, paired with BPC-157 and TB-500 to combine matrix-remodeling with capillary and actin-pathway activity. The two compounds are studied separately and in combination depending on the research question. Cresten Labs supplies both as verified research compounds.
What does research literature report about GHK-Cu side effects?
Published GHK-Cu research reports the following: preclinical models report tolerability in tested ranges; the copper component requires attention to dose-stacking with other copper-containing compounds in research design. Cresten Labs supplies the compound for research use only; clinical-use side-effect data should be drawn from peer-reviewed clinical trial publications, not from research-vendor pages.
Where to buy GHK-Cu in Europe?
Cresten Labs supplies GHK-Cu across the EU single market to 16 European countries. Each GHK-Cu batch is tested at Janoshik Analytical with the certificate of analysis published on the website before it lists. GHK-Cu is sold for in vitro and preclinical research only, not for human or veterinary use.
How is GHK-Cu verified at Cresten Labs?
Every GHK-Cu batch is tested at Janoshik Analytical in Czech Republic, an third-party peptide-analysis laboratory. Each batch certificate documents HPLC purity, mass-spectrometry identity confirmation, and contamination panels. The certificate publishes with the batch, before it lists.
What is the typical GHK-Cu stack in published research?
In published research, the typical GHK-Cu stack pairs the compound with BPC-157 and TB-500. GHK-Cu is an anchor compound in the KLOW and GLOW research blends, paired with BPC-157 and TB-500 to combine matrix-remodeling with capillary and actin-pathway activity.