GHK-Cu

GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) that forms a 1:1 complex with copper(II). The peptide is found endogenously in human plasma at micromolar concentrations and declines with age — a pharmacological observation that has shaped much of the longevity-research interest in the compound.

The copper complex is the active form. Biological activities documented in the literature include stimulation of dermal fibroblast proliferation, upregulation of collagen and elastin synthesis, modulation of metalloproteinase activity, anti-inflammatory effects in dermal models, and gene-expression effects on wound-healing pathways characterized in transcriptomic profiling work.

The compound also functions as a high-affinity copper-binding ligand, which underlies its use in topical cosmetic and wound-care research formulations.

Research Applications

• Dermal wound-healing and scar-remodeling research.
• Cosmetic and anti-aging dermatology research.
• Hair follicle and dermal papilla cell research.
• Transcriptomic studies of fibroblast gene-expression programs.