Question 1

What is GHK-Cu?

Accepted Answer

GHK-Cu is a tripeptide composed of glycine, histidine, and lysine, complexed with a copper(II) ion. The free tripeptide was first identified in human plasma in 1973 and has since been characterized extensively in dermal fibroblast cultures and extracellular matrix research, where studies examine its copper-binding behavior and its association with matrix metalloproteinase and collagen gene expression. Prime Science Supply supplies GHK-Cu as a Research Use Only material for laboratory work. It is not an approved drug and is not intended for human or veterinary use.

Question 2

What is the purity of Prime Science Supply GHK-Cu?

Accepted Answer

GHK-Cu from Prime Science Supply is specified at a minimum of 98% purity by HPLC-UV. On the Certificates of Analysis published for this catalog, that specification appears as the peptide purity line measured by HPLC, alongside appearance by visual inspection — for GHK-Cu, a blue to blue-green lyophilized powder — solubility, water content by Karl Fischer, sodium ion by ICP-MS, residual trifluoroacetic acid, related substances, bacterial endotoxins by LAL, assay by HPLC, and residual solvents by gas chromatography. That panel characterizes composition and purity; it does not include a separate identity test such as mass spectrometry or UV-Vis spectroscopy, so none is claimed here. CoA availability and level of detail vary by product and by lot — check the listing or write to support@primesciencesupply.com before purchasing.

Question 3

How should GHK-Cu powder be stored?

Accepted Answer

Lyophilized GHK-Cu should be kept sealed, dry, and shielded from direct light, at 2-8 °C for routine laboratory storage or at −20 °C when material is held for longer periods. The powder has a characteristic blue to blue-green color that comes from the copper(II) complex; a marked change in that color can indicate exposure to moisture or light. Allow the vial to equilibrate to ambient temperature before opening so that condensation does not form on the cold powder, and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycling, which degrades the material over time.

Question 4

What is the difference between GHK-Cu and GHK?

Accepted Answer

GHK is the free tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine. GHK-Cu is the same tripeptide coordinated to a copper(II) ion, which is the form in which it was originally isolated from human plasma and the form used in the majority of the published in vitro literature. The copper ion is not an inert additive: it participates directly in the coordination chemistry that studies attribute the molecule's behavior to, so results reported for the complex should not be assumed to transfer to the free peptide. The two are supplied and characterized as distinct materials.

Question 5

What does purity of at least 98% by HPLC-UV mean?

Accepted Answer

High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection separates the components of a sample and measures the area under each resulting peak. A result of at least 98% purity means the peak corresponding to the target peptide accounts for at least 98% of the total detected area, indicating that truncated sequences, deletion products, and synthesis byproducts are present only in trace amounts. HPLC-UV is the standard characterization method for synthetic peptides in pharmaceutical and academic laboratories. 98% is the specification, which is a floor: the measured result for an individual lot is often higher. Where a Certificate of Analysis is issued for a lot, it reports the chromatographic result for that specific lot; CoA availability and level of detail vary by product and by lot.

Question 6

How should lyophilized peptides be stored?

Accepted Answer

Lyophilized peptide powder should be kept dry, sealed, and protected from light. Refrigeration at 2-8 °C is appropriate for short-term holding, while −20 °C or lower is used for extended storage of laboratory inventory. Moisture is the main variable to control, so a vial is best brought to ambient temperature before it is opened, preventing condensation from forming on the cold powder. Repeated freeze-thaw cycling should be avoided, since each cycle contributes to gradual degradation. Stability characteristics differ between sequences; consult the published literature for the specific peptide and any Certificate of Analysis issued for the lot.

GHK-Cu (50 mg)

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Frequently asked questions about GHK-Cu (50 mg)