Evidence review · Published July 22, 2026 · Sources checked July 22, 2026

GHK-Cu research overview

GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine.

Evidence boundary: published research does not establish the identity or performance of a separately supplied batch. The catalog product is supplied only for qualified in vitro laboratory research and is not for human or animal use.

What is GHK-Cu?

Animal wound-chamber and skin-wound studies have measured collagen, glycosaminoglycans, gene expression, fibroblast behavior, and tissue organization.

Research category

Tissue & cellular signaling

Study models represented

Rat and guinea-pig wound models; cultured fibroblasts

Names in the literature

Copper tripeptide-1; Gly-His-Lys-Cu

Primary boundary

Animal wound and cell-culture outcomes do not directly predict effects in people.

What does the selected evidence support?

These model-specific results do not establish a clinical outcome, cosmetic claim, or batch identity for separately supplied material.

Primary sources

1. Maquart et al., Journal of Clinical Investigation (1993) — Rat wound-chamber study measuring extracellular-matrix accumulation. DOI: 10.1172/JCI116842
2. Siméon et al., Journal of Investigative Dermatology (1996) — Guinea-pig skin-wound and cultured-fibroblast experiments. DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12336260

Research literature and product documentation are different

A publication describes a study and its results. A batch-specific Certificate of Analysis documents characteristics of a supplied research material. One does not substitute for the other.

Review GHK-Cu product specifications · Browse the COA library · Read the research-use policy

Prepared by The Pep Labs Research Editorial Team. This evidence summary is not medical advice and contains no dosing or administration guidance.