What is GHK-Cu, and what is it studied for?

What is the structure of GHK-Cu?

Three amino acids with a copper ion coordinated through the histidine imidazole, the N-terminal amine and the lysine backbone. The complex is blue in solution, which is the visual check that the copper is present. LC-MS confirms the complexed mass on every lot; HPLC-UV reports purity.

Identifier	Value
Molecular formula	C14H21CuN6O4 (complex)
Molecular weight	400.9 g/mol
Residues	3
CAS number	not recorded
PubChem CID	139035031
Current lot	GHK50-0803

How is GHK-Cu thought to work?

GHK-Cu delivers copper to cells in a form that enzymes such as lysyl oxidase and superoxide dismutase can use, and independently of the copper it has been reported to modulate expression of thousands of genes, shifting fibroblasts toward a repair phenotype: increased collagen, decorin and elastin, decreased inflammatory signalling. It also chemoattracts immune and endothelial cells in wound models.

Which research areas use GHK-Cu?

Area	Typical models and endpoints
Collagen and elastin synthesis	Fibroblast cultures measuring procollagen output and matrix deposition.
Wound remodelling	Dermal wound and skin-barrier models.
Gene expression	Transcriptome profiling of treated fibroblasts.
Hair follicle	Dermal papilla cell models.

What does the published literature show?

Loren Pickart isolated GHK from plasma in 1973 and has published on the copper complex for five decades; reviews by Pickart and Margolina in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences summarise the collagen, wound-healing and gene-expression work. Much of the human-facing evidence is in topical cosmetic contexts. Research use of the compound sold here is in-vitro and preclinical.

How is GHK-Cu handled in the laboratory?

Dissolves readily; the solution should be blue. Avoid metal spatulas and chelating buffers such as EDTA, which strip the copper. Refrigerate at 2 to 8°C, 28-day window. The concentration table covers dilution volumes and microlitre aliquots; the storage guide covers stability by compound class.

What does the current certificate show?

Lot GHK50-0803 tested at 99.77% purity by RP-HPLC (214 nm), identity confirmed by LC-MS/MS, endotoxin <0.05 EU/mL. The certificate is in the COA library and the lot number on the vial matches it. Sold as 50 mg per vial at $50, for laboratory research only.

Certificate history for GHK-Cu

Every certificate the library holds for this compound, newest first. A replaced lot stays listed so the history can be read; the certificate dataset reads all 114 together.

Frequently asked questions

References

1. Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018.
2. Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in skin regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015.

Clinical results cited above describe regulated trials of pharmaceutical products and are given as context for research interest only. Nothing on this page describes or recommends use of the material sold here in humans or animals.