What is KLOW?
KLOW is a four-component research blend supplied in a single lyophilized vial: 50MG GHK-Cu, 10MG BPC-157, 10MG TB-500 and 10MG KPV, 80MG in total. Each component has its own published literature, mostly from cell culture and rodent models. No published study has examined the four together, so this guide summarizes what has been reported for each component, states the study model for every finding, and links to the full guide for each one. Disguised Alpha supplies KLOW for laboratory research use only. Nothing on this page is guidance for use in people.
KLOW composition
| Component | Per vial | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| GHK-Cu | 50MG | Copper(II) complex of the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys, first isolated from human plasma |
| BPC-157 | 10MG | Synthetic 15-residue peptide, a partial sequence of a protein described in human gastric juice |
| TB-500 | 10MG | Name used for an N-terminally acetylated fragment of thymosin beta-4 (Ac-LKKTETQ) |
| KPV | 10MG | Lys-Pro-Val, the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone |
| Form | 80MG total | Lyophilized powder; third-party tested, with the certificate for each lot published on the product page |
Amounts are from the KLOW product page. A blend has no single CAS number or molecular weight: its identity is defined by its components and by the lot certificate.
What the research covers, component by component
GHK-Cu
GHK binds copper(II), and in the original report it increased copper uptake into cultured hepatoma cells (Pickart et al., 1980). In fibroblast culture the copper complex stimulated collagen synthesis at picomolar to nanomolar concentrations (Maquart et al., 1988), and in rats fitted with implanted wound chambers it increased collagen, glycosaminoglycan, DNA and total protein accumulation (Maquart et al., 1993).
Structural work describes the complex as monomeric in solution, with copper held by the N-terminal amine, a backbone amide nitrogen and the histidine ring (Hureau et al., 2011). The GHK-Cu research guide also covers the gene-expression, inflammation and formulation studies.
BPC-157
Most BPC-157 work comes from the group that first described it, and it is overwhelmingly preclinical. In rat gastric mucosa the peptide was studied alongside agents that block or supply nitric oxide (Sikirić et al., 1997), and a four-week rat model of short bowel syndrome tracked body weight, villus height and anastomosis strength in BPC-157 groups (Sever et al., 2009).
A separate group reported increased outgrowth from rat tendon explants and higher fibroblast survival and migration, with activation of the FAK-paxillin pathway (Chang et al., 2011). A 2025 systematic review of the musculoskeletal literature counted 35 preclinical studies and one clinical study, and noted that BPC-157 has no FDA approval (Vasireddi et al., 2025). The BPC-157 research guide has the full picture.
TB-500 and thymosin beta-4
Analytical work on material sold as TB-500 identified the acetylated 17 to 23 fragment of thymosin beta-4, Ac-Leu-Lys-Lys-Thr-Glu-Thr-Gln, and confirmed it by independent synthesis (Esposito et al., 2012). A doping-control method study described the same fragment as a synthetic version of an active region of the parent protein (Ho et al., 2012).
Most biological data concern the full 43-residue protein: in a rat full-thickness wound model thymosin beta-4 increased re-epithelialization and collagen deposition and stimulated keratinocyte migration in culture (Malinda et al., 1999), and in the mouse heart it formed a complex with PINCH and integrin-linked kinase that activates Akt (Bock-Marquette et al., 2004). Results for the full protein should not be assumed to carry over to the fragment. The BPC-157 vs TB-500 comparison sets the two side by side.
KPV
KPV is the C-terminal tripeptide of alpha-MSH. In human keratinocytes it did not raise cyclic AMP but produced rapid intracellular calcium transients (Elliott et al., 2004). In human intestinal epithelial and T cell lines, nanomolar KPV reduced NF-kappaB and MAP kinase signaling, its uptake ran through the PepT1 transporter, and oral administration reduced the severity of two chemically induced colitis models in mice (Dalmasso et al., 2008).
Follow-up mouse work linked colitis-associated tumor formation to PepT1 expression and reported that KPV reduced it in wild-type but not PepT1-deficient animals (Viennois et al., 2016). The KPV research guide covers the rest of its literature.
What is not known about the blend
No published study has tested GHK-Cu, BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV together, in any model. There are no data on how the four interact, on the stability of the combined material in solution, or on any combined effect. The nearest published experiment paired two of the components: in a rat Achilles repair model, a BPC-157 plus TB-500 group showed no additive biomechanical effect over TB-500 alone at four weeks (Biçer et al., 2026). Studies using KLOW should handle it as a defined mixture and include controls for each component.
Key studies
- Pickart L, et al. Nature. 1980. PMID 7453802. Cell culture: copper(II) complex formation and copper uptake in hepatoma cells.
- Maquart FX, et al. FEBS Lett. 1988. PMID 3169264. Fibroblast culture: collagen synthesis across picomolar to nanomolar concentrations.
- Maquart FX, et al. J Clin Invest. 1993. PMID 8227353. Rat wound-chamber model: connective tissue accumulation.
- Chang CH, et al. J Appl Physiol. 2011. PMID 21030672. Rat tendon explants and cultured tendon fibroblasts.
- Vasireddi N, et al. HSS J. 2025. PMID 40756949. Systematic review of the musculoskeletal literature.
- Esposito S, et al. Drug Test Anal. 2012. PMID 22962027. Synthesis and analytical identification of the acetylated 17 to 23 fragment.
- Malinda KM, et al. J Invest Dermatol. 1999. PMID 10469335. Rat full-thickness wound model and keratinocyte migration assay (full thymosin beta-4).
- Dalmasso G, et al. Gastroenterology. 2008. PMID 18061177. Human cell lines and mouse colitis models.
- Biçer O, et al. Jt Dis Relat Surg. 2026. PMID 42542926. Rat Achilles repair model: BPC-157, TB-500 and the combination.
Handling and storage of lyophilized KLOW
General laboratory practice for this material:
- Store the lyophilized powder frozen (about -20°C) and protected from light until use, as for its individual components.
- Let the sealed vial reach room temperature before opening so moisture does not condense on the powder.
- Reconstitute in a sterile solvent or buffer suited to the assay, adding it gently down the vial wall and swirling rather than vortexing.
- GHK-Cu exchanges copper readily and forms ternary complexes with ligands such as histidine (Hureau et al., 2011), and it degraded under basic and oxidative stress (Badenhorst et al., 2016), so keep chelators, alkaline buffers and oxidizers out of the diluent.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is KLOW?
KLOW is a research blend of four peptides in one vial: GHK-Cu (50MG), BPC-157 (10MG), TB-500 (10MG) and KPV (10MG).
Is there published research on the KLOW blend itself?
No. Each component has its own literature, summarized above, but no published study has examined the four combined.
KLOW vs GLOW: what is the difference?
GLOW contains GHK-Cu, BPC-157 and TB-500. KLOW adds a fourth component, KPV, the alpha-MSH tripeptide.
Is TB-500 the same as thymosin beta-4?
Not exactly. Published analysis of material sold as TB-500 identified a seven-residue acetylated fragment of thymosin beta-4 rather than the full 43-residue protein (Esposito et al., 2012). Identity for each lot is on its certificate.
Where can researchers buy KLOW?
Disguised Alpha sells it for laboratory research, third-party tested with the certificate published on the product page: KLOW (80MG).
Related compounds and guides
- GHK-Cu research guide
- BPC-157 research guide
- KPV research guide
- BPC-157 vs TB-500 comparison
- GLOW (GHK-Cu / BPC-157 / TB-500)
- 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.