What is GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu (also written GHK Cu, or copper tripeptide-1) is a copper-binding tripeptide: glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (Gly-His-Lys) holding a single copper(II) ion. GHK was originally isolated from human plasma, where it co-purified with roughly equimolar copper, and the free peptide readily forms a complex with Cu(II) (Pickart et al., 1980; Maquart et al., 1988). Since the 1980s the complex has been studied in fibroblast culture, rodent wound models, gene-expression screens and formulation research. Disguised Alpha supplies GHK-Cu as a lyophilized powder for laboratory research use only. Nothing on this page is guidance for use in people.
GHK-Cu reference data
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | GHK-Cu |
| Aliases | Copper tripeptide-1, prezatide copper, GHK copper (PubChem CID 71587328) |
| Sequence | Gly-His-Lys (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine) bound to one Cu(II) ion |
| Peptide class | Copper-binding tripeptide |
| Molecular formula | C₁₄H₂₂CuN₆O₄ |
| Molecular weight | 401.91 g/mol |
| CAS number | 89030-95-5 (PubChem CID 71587328) |
| Free GHK peptide | C₁₄H₂₄N₆O₄, 340.38 g/mol, CAS 49557-75-7 (PubChem CID 73587) |
| Form | Lyophilized powder |
| Sizes carried | 50MG, 100MG |
| Testing | Third-party tested, with the certificate for each lot published on the product page and in the COA portal |
Formula, molecular weight, CAS number and sizes are from the GHK-Cu product page; aliases and free-peptide data are from PubChem. Confirm identity and measured content against your lot's certificate.
What the research covers
Published work on GHK-Cu falls into six areas. Each summary below states the model used.
Copper binding and structure
Early cell-culture work showed that GHK readily forms a complex with copper(II) and increases copper uptake into cultured hepatoma cells. The authors noted that its histidyl-lysyl arrangement resembles the copper transport site of albumin (Pickart et al., 1980). Structural work later found the complex dimeric in the crystal but monomeric in solution, with copper held by the N-terminal amine, a backbone amide nitrogen and the histidine imidazole (Hureau et al., 2011). Calorimetry measured predominantly 1:1 binding, with a conditional dissociation constant of about 7.0 × 10⁻¹⁴ M at pH 7.4 (Trapaidze et al., 2012).
Collagen and matrix synthesis in cell culture
In fibroblast cultures, GHK-Cu stimulated collagen synthesis beginning between 10⁻¹² and 10⁻¹¹ M and peaking near 10⁻⁹ M, independent of any change in cell number. The authors pointed out that the Gly-His-Lys triplet occurs in the α2(I) chain of type I collagen (Maquart et al., 1988). In normal human fibroblasts, a follow-up study reported a biphasic rise in sulfated glycosaminoglycan synthesis, mainly dermatan sulfate and cell-layer heparan sulfate, with no change in hyaluronic acid (Wegrowski et al., 1992).
Rodent wound-chamber models
In rats fitted with implanted wound chambers, GHK-Cu produced concentration-dependent increases in dry weight, DNA, total protein, collagen and glycosaminoglycans. It raised type I and type III collagen mRNA without changing TGF-β mRNA, and a control tripeptide had no significant effect (Maquart et al., 1993). In the same model, a later study tracked matrix metalloproteinases over 22 days and found that GHK-Cu increased pro- and active MMP-2 during the late remodeling phase (Siméon et al., 1999).
Gene-expression studies
A study of lung tissue from smokers with COPD identified 127 genes tied to regional emphysema severity, then used the Connectivity Map to search for compounds that reverse that signature, and identified GHK. In cultured human fibroblasts, GHK reproduced TGF-β-induced expression patterns and organized the actin cytoskeleton. It also restored collagen I contraction and remodeling by fibroblasts derived from COPD lungs (Campbell et al., 2012). The compound tested in this study was the tripeptide GHK.
Inflammation and oxidative stress models
In LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and in mice with LPS-induced acute lung injury, GHK-Cu lowered reactive oxygen species, TNF-α and IL-6, raised superoxide dismutase activity and suppressed NF-κB p65 and p38 MAPK signaling. Lung tissue showed less inflammatory cell infiltration (Park et al., 2016).
Formulation, stability and speciation
Preformulation work found GHK-Cu highly hydrophilic (log D of about -2.4 between pH 4.5 and 7.4) and susceptible to hydrolytic cleavage under basic and oxidative stress, with histidine among its degradation products (Badenhorst et al., 2016). Liposome studies report encapsulation efficiencies of roughly 20 to 32 percent for the best-performing carriers (Dymek et al., 2023). A 2026 review argues that much of the literature handles GHK-Cu as one defined substance even though coordination state and labile copper vary with formulation, and that controlled clinical evidence remains sparse (Mateescu et al., 2026).
Key studies
- Pickart L, et al. "Growth-modulating plasma tripeptide may function by facilitating copper uptake into cells." Nature. 1980. PMID 7453802. DOI 10.1038/288715a0. Cell culture: copper(II) complex formation and copper uptake in hepatoma cells.
- Maquart FX, et al. "Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+." FEBS Lett. 1988. PMID 3169264. DOI 10.1016/0014-5793(88)80509-x. Fibroblast culture: collagen synthesis across picomolar to nanomolar concentrations.
- Maquart FX, et al. "In vivo stimulation of connective tissue accumulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+ in rat experimental wounds." J Clin Invest. 1993. PMID 8227353. DOI 10.1172/JCI116842. Rat wound-chamber model: collagen, glycosaminoglycan, DNA and protein accumulation.
- Siméon A, et al. "Expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinases in wounds: modulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+." J Invest Dermatol. 1999. PMID 10383745. DOI 10.1046/j.1523-1747.1999.00606.x. Rat wound-chamber model: MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and activation over 22 days.
- Hureau C, et al. "X-ray and solution structures of Cu(II) GHK and Cu(II) DAHK complexes: influence on their redox properties." Chemistry. 2011. PMID 21780203. DOI 10.1002/chem.201100751. Structural chemistry: X-ray, EPR and NMR study of the Cu(II) complex in solid state and solution.
- Trapaidze A, et al. "Thermodynamic study of Cu2+ binding to the DAHK and GHK peptides by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) with the weaker competitor glycine." J Biol Inorg Chem. 2012. PMID 21898044. DOI 10.1007/s00775-011-0824-5. Isothermal titration calorimetry: Cu(II) binding stoichiometry and affinity at pH 7.4.
- Campbell JD, et al. "A gene expression signature of emphysema-related lung destruction and its reversal by the tripeptide GHK." Genome Med. 2012. PMID 22937864. DOI 10.1186/gm367. Human lung tissue profiling, Connectivity Map screen and human fibroblast culture.
- Dymek M, et al. "Liposomes as Carriers of GHK-Cu Tripeptide for Cosmetic Application." Pharmaceutics. 2023. PMID 37896245. DOI 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102485. Formulation: liposome carriers and encapsulation efficiency, with in vitro enzyme assays.
Handling and storage of lyophilized GHK-Cu
General laboratory practice for this material:
- Store the lyophilized powder at -20°C, protected from light, until use (storage guidance on the product page).
- Let the sealed vial reach room temperature before opening so moisture does not condense on the powder.
- Prepare stock solutions in water or a buffer between pH 4.5 and 7.4, the range in which GHK-Cu stayed stable under heat stress. Keep alkaline solutions and oxidizers away, since both drove degradation (Badenhorst et al., 2016).
- GHK-Cu exchanges copper quickly and forms ternary complexes with ligands such as glycine and histidine (Hureau et al., 2011), so copper-binding buffer components or chelators can change what is in solution.
- After reconstitution, keep solutions at 2 to 8°C and protected from light, and split stock into single-use aliquots to avoid freeze/thaw cycles.
- Record the lot number and keep its certificate with your notes. For quantitative work, use the measured content and formula on the certificate rather than the label mass.
Frequently asked questions
What is GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys, originally isolated from human plasma (Pickart et al., 1980), and is studied in cell culture, rodent models and formulation science.
Is GHK-Cu a peptide?
Yes. GHK is a tripeptide (glycine, histidine, lysine), and the GHK-Cu peptide is that tripeptide holding one copper(II) ion, so chemists also call it a copper peptide or metallopeptide. In solution the copper is bound by the N-terminal amine, a backbone amide nitrogen and the histidine ring (Hureau et al., 2011).
GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu: what is the difference?
AHK-Cu replaces the N-terminal glycine with alanine (Ala-His-Lys) and keeps the His-Lys copper-binding motif. GHK-Cu has well over a hundred PubMed records, while the main indexed AHK-Cu study looked at human hair follicles ex vivo and dermal papilla cells in culture (Pyo et al., 2007). Our GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu comparison sets out structure and data side by side.
Why do sources list different molecular weights for GHK-Cu?
They describe different chemical species. The free GHK peptide (C₁₄H₂₄N₆O₄) is 340.38 g/mol (PubChem CID 73587). The neutral 1:1 copper complex on our product page (C₁₄H₂₂CuN₆O₄) is 401.91 g/mol. PubChem's record for CAS 89030-95-5 (CID 71587328) shows a charged form, C₁₄H₂₃CuN₆O₄⁺, at 402.92 g/mol, and salt forms such as acetate add mass. For quantitative work, use the formula and measured content on your lot's certificate.
How should GHK-Cu powder be stored?
Keep the lyophilized powder at -20°C and protected from light. After reconstitution, store the solution at 2 to 8°C, protected from light, and avoid freeze/thaw cycles, as listed on the product page.
Where can researchers buy GHK-Cu?
Disguised Alpha sells it for laboratory research, third-party tested with the certificate published on the product page: GHK-Cu (50MG and 100MG).
Related compounds and guides
- GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu: copper peptide comparison
- AHK-Cu: the alanine analog (Ala-His-Lys copper complex)
- GHK-Cu Raw Powder
- GHK-Cu / KPV
- GLOW (GHK-Cu / BPC-157 / TB-500)
- KLOW (GHK-Cu / BPC-157 / TB-500 / KPV)
- BPC-157 research guide
- COA portal: every published certificate, by lot
This product is for research use only. It has not been evaluated for safety or effectiveness in humans. Not for human consumption. All products are intended for laboratory research purposes only.