GHK-Cu: A Three-Amino-Acid Peptide That Grabs Copper
GHK-Cu is tiny. It's just three amino acids, but it has five decades of chemistry behind it. Coordination chemists, cell-culture labs, and anyone new to peptide research will find something to work with here.
What the molecule is
GHK is the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys. GHK-Cu is its copper(II) complex. PubChem lists the copper complex (prezatide copper) as C14H23CuN6O4+, about 402.9 g/mol (PubChem CID 71587328). The exact formula depends on the salt form, so check the COA.
Where it came from
Pickart and Thaler reported GHK in 1973 as a tripeptide from human serum that they studied in liver-cell culture (PMID 4349963). In 1980 they reported that it forms Cu(II) complexes readily and increases copper uptake into cultured hepatoma cells. They proposed it works as a copper-transport factor (PMID 7453802).
The structural chemistry
X-ray, EPR, XAS, and NMR work showed that Cu(II)-GHK is dimeric in the crystal but monomeric in solution, bound through three nitrogens. Copper exchanges quickly between GHK molecules, and the complex can be reduced to Cu(I) around −0.62 V vs AgCl/Ag (PMID 21780203). In practice, other copper-binding species in a solution can pull copper away, so characterize single-compound samples on their own.
Storing the lyophilized powder
Copper peptides are usually blue to violet powders. Keep the vial sealed, cold, dry, and dark, and let it warm to room temperature before you open it.
Reading the COA
Match the name and lot to the vial, confirm the mass identity, and check that the method and the issuing lab are named. Distributor COA included for the lot shipped.
Why order today
- GHK-Cu 50 mg: $55 · 100 mg: $79 (lyophilized)
- US shipping. Free shipping on orders of $250 or more.
- Distributor COA included for the lot shipped. 21+ only.
Sources: PubChem CID 71587328; PMID 4349963; PMID 7453802; PMID 21780203.
Research Use Only. Sold for in vitro laboratory research. Not for human or veterinary use. 21+.