Skin and connective tissue
GHK-Cu
Also known as Copper tripeptide-1, Glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper
A naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide, and one of the most extensively published peptides in dermatological research.
What it is
GHK is a tripeptide, a chain of just three amino acids: glycine, histidine and lysine. It occurs naturally in human plasma and binds copper ions with high affinity, forming the GHK-Cu complex. Plasma levels of GHK decline with age, which is part of why it has attracted research attention.
What published research examines
- Collagen and extracellular matrix synthesis in skin models
- Copper transport and its role in enzymatic processes
- Gene expression profiling, where GHK-Cu has been observed to modulate a broad set of genes
- Wound healing in preclinical and dermatological literature
Where the research stands
GHK-Cu has one of the deeper published literatures of any peptide in this catalogue, spanning dermatological and cosmetic research as well as gene expression work.