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Ingredient intelligence

Copper tripeptide-1

Peptide · Copper Tripeptide-1 · C14H22CuN6O4

CompareExplore biology

Copper tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a glycyl-histidyl-lysine complexed with copper, studied for matrix gene-expression effects largely in cell and animal models.

Mechanistic only2 curated studies, none measured in people.

Any underlined term can be tapped for an everyday-English translation.

Molecular identity

Two-dimensional chemical structure of Copper tripeptide-1
Formula
C14H22CuN6O4
Molecular weight
402 g/mol
PubChem CID
73942
ChEBI
Data unavailable
Open PubChem record →

Biological targets

  • Lysyl oxidase (LOX)

    low confidence

    activates · enzyme

    Copper is a required LOX .

    UniProt P28300

  • Matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP2)

    low confidence

    modulates · enzyme

    UniProt P08253

  • Decorin (DCN)

    low confidence

    associated with · structural protein

    UniProt P07585

Molecules & genes

Molecules

  • GHK tripeptideC14H24N6O4 · 340.38 g/mol
  • GHK-Cu complexC14H22CuN6O4 · 402 g/mol

Genes / proteins

How could this ingredient interact with biology?

Biological network

Ingredient → molecule → target → gene/protein → pathway → process → studied outcome. Relationship strength is drawn from the curated confidence tier; nothing is added to make the chain look complete.

100%
Copper tripeptide-1GHK tripeptideGHK-Cu complex

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IngredientMoleculeTargetGenePathwayProcessOutcome

11 lower-confidence relationships are hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.

Text alternative for this network
  • Copper tripeptide-1 is molecule GHK tripeptide — high confidence
  • Copper tripeptide-1 is molecule GHK-Cu complex — high confidence

Biological pathways

Collagen biosynthesis and modifying enzymes

low confidence

Copper-dependent crosslinking and .

Reactome R-HSA-1650814

Extracellular matrix organisation

low confidence

Matrix protein and proteoglycan expression changes reported in models.

Reactome R-HSA-1474244

Evidence engine

Insufficient

Not enough curated evidence to characterise this ingredient.

Skinceptor Evidence Index

20

experimental · of 100

This index is a research-navigation aid describing how much evidence exists and how it was produced. It is not a medical safety score, an efficacy guarantee, or a clinical recommendation.

Study composition

  • In-vitro1
  • Review1
Total studies
2
Human studies
0
Largest sample
Data unavailable
Range
2012–2015

Index breakdown

  • Study design quality35% × 28%

    Mean design weight across curated studies (meta-analysis 1.0, RCT 0.9, other human 0.7, review 0.45, animal 0.35, in-vitro 0.25).

  • Human evidence share0% × 22%

    Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.

  • Evidence volume50% × 14%

    Log-scaled count of curated studies, so volume alone cannot dominate the score.

  • Largest sample size0% × 12%

    Log-scaled largest reported sample size across curated human studies.

  • Replication0% × 12%

    Independent human studies, capped at three; one study is never treated as replicated.

  • Recency45% × 7%

    Linear decay over a twenty-year window from the most recent curated publication.

  • Source traceability0% × 5%

    Share of curated studies with a verified PMID or DOI in this dataset.

How is this determined? →

Insufficient comparable evidence for quantitative synthesis.

Research timeline

How the evidence accumulated

  1. 2012

    Copper peptide GHK-Cu and extracellular matrix gene expression in fibroblast culture

    In-vitrosample size unavailable · BioMed Research International

  2. 2015

    GHK peptide in tissue remodelling and gene expression

    Reviewsample size unavailable · Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity (review)

Ingredient fingerprint

14 nodes · 20 relationships · seed "copper-tripeptide-1"

The fingerprint is a deterministic visual signature: ridge amplitude comes from the number of entities in each tier, node placement from identifier hashes, and opacity from confidence. Two ingredients can never produce the same figure unless their networks are identical.

Open in Biology as Art →

Research

2 curated studies

ReviewOxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity (review) · 2015

GHK peptide in tissue remodelling and gene expression

Summarises reported effects of GHK and GHK-Cu on matrix protein and antioxidant gene expression in cell and animal models.

Limitations — Review with substantial single-group authorship; human cosmetic endpoints sparse.

Identifier not curated — search Europe PMCCopper tripeptide-1 · GHK tripeptide · Palmitoyl tripeptide-1
In-vitroBioMed Research International · 2012

Copper peptide GHK-Cu and extracellular matrix gene expression in fibroblast culture

Reported upregulation of collagen and decorin transcripts in fibroblast culture after GHK-Cu exposure.

Limitations — Cell culture only; author affiliation with peptide commercialisation; identifier not verified during curation.

Identifier not curated — search Europe PMCCopper tripeptide-1 · GHK tripeptide

Community evidence

Submitted by readers

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Reader submissions appear here only after review. They are not part of the curated dataset and do not affect the Skinceptor Evidence Index.

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Sources

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