GHK-Cu Research Monograph

Discovery and natural occurrence

GHK was originally identified as a small-peptide factor in human plasma capable of altering hepatocyte gene expression in cell culture. Its copper-binding capacity and the tripeptide-Cu²⁺ complex (GHK-Cu) became the central focus of subsequent research from the late 1970s onward.

Sequence and copper coordination

The tripeptide sequence is Gly-His-Lys, with a free-peptide molecular weight of 340.4 g/mol. Copper coordinates through the imidazole nitrogen of histidine, the alpha-amino terminus, and a deprotonated peptide nitrogen, producing the characteristic blue tint of GHK-Cu lyophilisate.

Primary research literature

Published GHK-Cu research clusters around skin biology, dermal wound-repair models, copper-mediated cellular signalling, hair follicle research, and the broader category of cellular regenerative pathway studies. The Pickart laboratory and collaborators have published extensively over five decades.

Storage, reconstitution, and handling

Lyophilised GHK-Cu is stable for months at −20°C in its sealed vial when protected from light and moisture. The blue tint is intrinsic to the copper-coordinated complex. After reconstitution, store at 2–8°C and use within 7 days.

AHK-Cu as the alanine-substituted analogue

AHK-Cu is a structurally related copper tripeptide with alanine substituting for glycine at position 1. Published research on AHK-Cu focuses more heavily on dermal-papilla and hair-follicle biology than on the broader skin research literature that surrounds GHK-Cu. See the VESPER /compare/ghk-cu-vs-ahk-cu page for a direct comparison.

Quality and verification

VESPER GHK-Cu is supplied as a 50mg lyophilised vial at ≥99.5% HPLC purity, with the characteristic copper-coordinated blue tint visible in the lyophilisate. Sequence and copper-coordination identity are confirmed per batch.

Frequently asked