GHK-Cu
Healing & Repairaka Copper Tripeptide-1 · Cu-GHK · glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine copper
Overview
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of GHK and is the best-studied member of the GHK family. It is the form with the strongest mechanistic data for fibroblast activation, wound repair, and skin-remodeling biology.
Mechanism
In a primary human dermal fibroblast model, GHK-Cu at 1 x 10^-9 M accelerated growth of normal and irradiated fibroblasts and increased early production of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and VEGF, with implications for wound healing. A separate fibroblast and ex vivo skin study found that GHK-Cu, particularly in combination with low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, increased collagen I, IV, and VII, with the strongest synergy seen on collagen IV. The overall mechanistic picture is one of copper delivery plus ECM and growth-factor remodeling, rather than action through a single named receptor.