GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide)

GHK-Cu (CAS 49557-75-7; MW 403.9 g/mol as Cu complex; C14H23CuN6O4) is a naturally occurring tripeptide-copper(II) complex first identified in human plasma albumin by Dr. Loren Pickart in 1973. This simple three-amino acid sequence — Glycine-Histidine-Lysine — forms a stable, high-affinity chelate with cupric ions (Cu2+) via coordination through the histidine imidazole ring and both terminal amines, creating a complex with distinct biological properties that neither the free peptide nor copper ions alone possess.

Despite its small size, GHK-Cu has been documented to influence gene expression across a remarkably broad biological range. Gene expression analyses have shown GHK-Cu modulating over 4,000 human genes — upregulating genes associated with tissue repair, collagen synthesis, angiogenesis, antioxidant defense, and anti-inflammatory response, while downregulating genes linked to cancer progression, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

At the mechanistic level, GHK-Cu operates through several converging activities: it activates matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) while upregulating their inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2), creating a balanced ECM remodeling environment. It stimulates collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan synthesis via TGF-beta pathway engagement. Proangiogenic effects operate through VEGF upregulation and nerve growth factor (NGF) production. Antioxidant activity is mediated through copper-dependent SOD activation and NF-kB downregulation.

The 50mg vial format reflects GHK-Cu broader utility in research — applications extend beyond injectable models to topical formulation preparation, high-throughput cell culture experiments, and multi-animal studies requiring substantial total compound quantities.

The following compounds operate through distinct, non-overlapping mechanisms that complement this product's research pathways. Each is independently available from the General Peptide catalog.