GHK-Cu: a copper peptide research overview

GHK-Cu (CAS: 49557-75-7) is the copper-bound form of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine (GHK). The body produces it naturally — it turns up in human plasma, saliva and urine — yet its levels fall sharply as we age, sliding from around 200 ng/mL at 20 to under 80 ng/mL by 60.

What draws researchers to it is the wide spread of bioactivities seen in cell-culture and animal work, among them effects on collagen synthesis, anti-inflammatory signalling, and antioxidant gene expression.

Wound healing: Excisional wound-healing models have featured GHK-Cu heavily. It seems to draw immune cells toward the wound, encourage fibroblast proliferation, and speed up the synthesis of collagen and glycosaminoglycans.

Skin biology: Within human fibroblast cultures, GHK-Cu boosts the synthesis of collagen, elastin and decorin. It likewise raises metalloproteinase activity (MMP-2, MMP-9), which reworks aged, cross-linked collagen.

Anti-inflammatory: In LPS-stimulated macrophage models, GHK-Cu lowers TNF-α together with other pro-inflammatory cytokines, hinting at a role in inflammation research.

Antioxidant gene activation: Research has flagged GHK-Cu as a trigger of the Nrf2 pathway — the central regulator of the cell's antioxidant response.

As a lyophilized powder, GHK-Cu stays stable. Keep it at −20 °C away from light. Once reconstituted in sterile water or PBS and held at 4 °C, use it within 14 days.

A note on appearance: GHK-Cu turns the solution blue — a hallmark of copper(II) complexes. If the colour has faded or vanished, copper may have dissociated, so do not use a solution that lacks the expected blue.