Also known as Copper Peptide · Tripeptide-1 Copper · Copper Tripeptide-1
Endogenous copper-binding tripeptide widely studied in skin and hair biology.
GHK-Cu is the copper complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, an endogenous fragment first isolated from human plasma. Reported to modulate ECM remodeling, fibroblast activity, and antioxidant defense.
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK), a tripeptide first isolated from human plasma in 1973. The free GHK sequence binds copper with high affinity, and the resulting complex is generally regarded as the biologically active species. Plasma GHK is highest in early adulthood and declines with age, which has motivated long-standing interest in its role in tissue maintenance and repair.
Because copper is a cofactor for enzymes involved in extracellular-matrix (ECM) remodeling and antioxidant defense, much of the research framing treats GHK-Cu as a signaling and copper-delivery molecule rather than a simple nutrient source. It is one of the most extensively studied "copper peptides" in the dermatologic and wound-healing literature and is widely used as a topical cosmetic ingredient under the INCI name Copper Tripeptide-1.
Copper delivery, ECM gene modulation, antioxidant pathway activation.
Behind every vial of GHK-Cu is the same exacting pipeline every research peptide runs — but the chemistry plays out differently for this molecule. Here is how GHK-Cu, specifically, is brought into being.
On paper, GHK-Cu is C14H22CuN6O4 — about 401.9 daltons of precisely arranged atoms. Before a single bond is made, the target sequence, salt form, and purity threshold are written down as the contract the finished material must meet.
Assembling GHK-Cu means roughly 3 coupling cycles on the synthesizer — one protected residue added at a time, which is also 3 chances for an incomplete coupling to seed a deletion impurity. It is a short sequence, which makes the build comparatively tractable — but short does not mean trivial, and purity is still won or lost downstream.
The crude mixture — GHK-Cu plus its deletions and side products — is then separated on preparative HPLC, and where the cut is taken decides the difference between a genuinely pure peptide and a barely-passable one.
A real batch of GHK-Cu proves itself: identity confirmed by mass spectrometry against its ~401.9 Da, purity read directly off an analytical HPLC trace, water and counterion content measured. That batch-specific certificate of analysis is the only honest way to know what is actually in a vial of GHK-Cu — and a short, cold, accountable chain of custody is how that purity survives the trip to your bench.
Producing GHK-Cu to a genuine purity spec means solid-phase synthesis, preparative HPLC purification, and batch quality control — none of it cheap, and none of it something you can verify by eye.
Don't judge a vial by its cake. A fluffy, good-looking lyophilized powder reflects bulking agents and freeze-drying parameters — not purity. Insist on a batch-specific certificate of analysis.
Recent clinical trials and publications mentioning GHK-Cu, pulled automatically from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed and refreshed daily. Listings are unfiltered search results, not curated endorsements.
GHK-Cu is the copper complex of the naturally occurring tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK), first isolated from human plasma. The copper-bound form is considered the active species in most research.
Research focuses on skin remodeling (collagen and elastin), wound healing and angiogenesis, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory signaling, and hair-follicle biology. It is a reference compound in the "copper peptide" literature.
The GHK tripeptide binds copper(II) with high affinity, and copper is a cofactor for matrix-remodeling and antioxidant enzymes — so the complex is studied as both a signaling molecule and a copper-delivery vehicle.
Yes — cosmetic "copper peptide" ingredients are typically GHK-Cu (INCI name Copper Tripeptide-1), applied topically. This page is a research and educational reference, not a product or usage recommendation.
Dosing protocols, mechanism, comparisons, and the latest trials — citation-backed answers grounded in PubMed, PubChem, and ClinicalTrials.gov.