Quantity
Price
$29.00
100 available
GHK-Cu
From $28.00to $217.50
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or animal use, consumption, diagnosis, treatment, or disease prevention.
Product Specifications
- Lot Number
- KRSGHKCU-100-260814-01
- Purity
- 98.94%
- Storage Temp
- 36°F to 46°F
- Batch Status
- Released
For Research Use Only. Not for human or animal administration. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Sold for laboratory research purposes only.
Documentation
Certificates of Analysis are supplied with each product lot where applicable.
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Released- Lot Number
- KRSGHKCU-100-260814-01
- Purity
- 98.94%
- Tested
- Aug 21, 2026
Lab Report Available Online
All products currently listed on this site are for research purposes only.
COA Library — 100mg
Published Certificates of Analysis for GHK-Cu · 100mg. New deliveries are added as their batches are released.
Lot KRSGHKCU-100-260814-01
Tested Aug 21, 2026 · Purity 98.94%
Research Data
Chemical & Structural Identifiers
![2D chemical structure of Copper(2+) (2S)-6-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2-aminoacetyl)amino]-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoyl]amino]hexanoate](/structures/ghk-cu.svg)
- Chemical Name (IUPAC)
- Copper(2+) (2S)-6-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2-aminoacetyl)amino]-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoyl]amino]hexanoate
- CAS Registry Number
- 49557-75-7 (Copper Complex); 89030-95-5 (GHK-Cu Acetate)
- PubChem CID
- 73587
- Molecular Formula
- C14H22CuN6O4 (free chelate core) / C14H24Cl2CuN6O4 (dihydrochloride adduct)
- Molecular Weight
- 401.10 Da (401.91 g/mol average)
- Sequence
- H-Gly-His-Lys-OH·Cu2+ (Single-letter: GHK-Cu)
- SMILES
- C1=C(NC=N1)C[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCCN)C(=O)O)NC(=O)CN.[Cu+2]
- InChIKey
- XAXPVIITBZZZKO-YAMOOIKTSA-N
- Salt / Counter-Ion
- Supplied as a stable lyophilized acetate (CH3COO-) or chloride (Cl-) salt complex.
- Synonyms
- GHK-Cu, Copper Tripeptide-1, Gly-His-Lys Copper Complex, [N-(N-glycyl-L-histidyl)-L-lysinato(2-)]copper
Analytical & COA Specifications
- Analytical Purity (RP-HPLC)
- ≥ 99.0% by area normalization under UV detection at λ = 214 nm and 254 nm.
- Identity Confirmation (ESI-MS / MALDI-TOF)
- Theoretical mass [M+H]+ = 402.1 Da; observed isotopic distribution matches characteristic 63Cu/65Cu natural abundance envelope at m/z = 402.1 ± 0.5 Da.
- Residual Moisture (Karl Fischer Titration)
- ≤ 3.0% water content.
- Endotoxin Screening (LAL Assay)
- < 1.0 EU/mg (Limulus Amebocyte Lysate per USP <85>).
- Sterility Validation
- USP <71> compliant (no observed microbial proliferation in fluid thioglycollate/soybean-casein digest broths).
- Physical Characterization
- Distinctive, fine, royal blue to bluish-purple lyophilized powder/cake (imparted by the coordination geometry of the cupric ion).
Handling & Stability
Storage. Store dry solid desiccated at -20°C to -80°C, protected from atmospheric moisture and direct light.
Solubility. Readily soluble in sterile laboratory-grade deionized water (≥ 30 mg/mL) and sterile Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS, pH 7.4, ≥ 20 mg/mL) for in vitro assay application.
- Chelation Integrity & Buffer Selection: Maintain assay solutions at neutral to slightly alkaline pH (pH 6.5--7.5); *do not* introduce strong chelating agents (e.g., EDTA, EGTA) or high concentrations of reducing agents (e.g., DTT, ascorbic acid) into stock buffers, as they competitively strip or reduce the coordinated Cu2+ ion. Aliquot into single-use fractions to eliminate freeze-thaw degradation cycles.
Mechanism & Literature
Biochemical Origin & Coordination Architecture: Naturally occurring high-affinity copper-binding tripeptide originally isolated from human plasma albumin fractions. The linear Gly-His-Lys sequence coordinates divalent copper (Cu2+) via four donor atoms—the amino-terminal nitrogen of glycine, the deprotonated amide nitrogen of histidine, the imidazole nitrogen of histidine, and a carboxylate oxygen—forming an exceptionally stable square-planar coordination complex (log K = 16.44).
Cellular Pathways Investigated: Evaluated across in vitro cell models (including dermal fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cultures) to monitor gene transcription shifts, induction of extracellular matrix biosynthesis (pro-collagen type I, collagen type III, and elastin), balanced regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2) versus Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases (TIMP-1), expression of basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF), and upregulation of antioxidant enzymes including Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD-1).
References (3)
- Pickart, L., et al. (1973). Growth-modulating tripeptide from normal human serum. Nature New Biology, 243(124), 85–87.
- Wegrowski, Y., et al. (1992). The tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+ stimulates matrix macromolecule synthesis in vitro. Life Sciences, 51(13), 1049–1056.
- Pickart, L., et al. (2018). GHK peptide as a natural modulator of multiple cellular pathways in gene expression profiling. Biomolecules, 8(4), 166.
Technical Laboratory FAQs
How does the GHK tripeptide coordinate copper(II) ions in aqueous solutions?
The GHK backbone acts as a tridentate/tetradentate ligand that coordinates Cu2+ through its N-terminal amino group, the imidazole nitrogen of histidine, and deprotonated amide nitrogens, establishing a stable square-planar complex.
Why must EDTA and other chelators be omitted from GHK-Cu in vitro assays?
EDTA possesses a higher binding affinity for divalent copper than the GHK tripeptide backbone, causing spontaneous transchelation, stripping Cu2+ from the peptide, and abolishing the intended organometallic complex architecture in cell culture assays.
What solvent conditions are recommended for preparing in vitro GHK-Cu stock solutions?
Sterile deionized water or sterile PBS (pH 7.4) provides rapid dissolution at concentrations ≥ 20 mg/mL, generating a characteristic clear blue solution suitable for biological and analytical assay calibration.
For Research Use Only. Not for human or animal administration. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Sold for laboratory research purposes only.