Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
GHK-Cu Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
GHK-Cu is listed as copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine. As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 151 records matching GHK-Cu, the earliest from 1977; 45 were published in 2021–2025 and 16 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 151
- Earliest record
- 1977
- Published 2021–2025
- 45
- Reviews
- 16
- Animal-only studies
- 29
- Registered studies
- 3
Publications per year, 2006–2025
77 records in 2016–2025 against 21 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2023, with 15.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 15 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 13 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 151 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 1611% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 2919% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 11% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 3 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 6 of the most-cited and most recent GHK-Cu papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
Matrix remodeling, epithelial repair, inflammatory and redox regulation
This evidence-mapping review reports that preclinical data consistently support effects of GHK-Cu on matrix remodeling, epithelial repair, inflammatory and redox regulation and angiogenesis, but clinical evidence remains sparse; the authors regard it as promising but unproven.
ReviewMateescu DM 2026PharmaceuticsPMID 42797253
Tissue repair and anti-inflammatory actions
This review summarizes reported actions of GHK in tissue repair of skin, lung connective tissue, bone, liver and stomach lining, along with anti-inflammatory and cell-protective actions, and discusses gene data the authors suggest may explain these diverse effects.
ReviewPickart L 2018International journal of molecular sciencesPMID 29986520
Collagen synthesis and metalloproteinase modulation
This review proposes that GHK acts as a copper complex in skin repair and summarizes reports that it stimulates both synthesis and breakdown of collagen and glycosaminoglycans and modulates metalloproteinases and their inhibitors; it notes plasma GHK declines with age.
ReviewPickart L 2015BioMed research internationalPMID 26236730
Collagen and elastin synthesis, wound healing
This review describes GHK and its copper complex GHK-Cu as activating processes related to tissue remodeling, including attraction of repair cells, anti-inflammatory actions and increased synthesis of collagen and elastin, and summarizes wound healing reports across numerous models.
ReviewPickart L 2008Journal of biomaterials science. Polymer editionPMID 18644225
Collagen synthesis in fibroblasts
In cultured fibroblasts, the copper complex GHK-Cu was reported to stimulate collagen synthesis independently of any change in cell number; the authors suggest the tripeptide might be liberated by proteases at a wound site.
CellsMaquart FX 1988FEBS lettersPMID 3169264
Capillary formation
In rabbit corneas, ceruloplasmin, heparin and glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine each induced new capillary formation only when bound to copper, which the authors interpret as indicating that copper ions are involved in the events leading to angiogenesis.
AnimalsRaju KS 1982Journal of the National Cancer InstitutePMID 6182332
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 151 of the 151 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what GHK-Cu does.
- Copper37 papers
- Growth Substances17 papers
- Skin10 papers
- Wound Healing10 papers
- Skin Aging4 papers
- Antioxidants4 papers
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents4 papers
- Fibroblasts4 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Rabenstein DL (1977). Biochemistry.
PMID 14668Most-cited paper · 1,177 citations
Ambesi-Impiombato FS (1980). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
PMID 6106191Most-cited #2 · 242 citations
Raju KS (1982). Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
PMID 6182332Most-cited #3 · 217 citations
Guilloreau L (2007). Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology.
PMID 17577900
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 151 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| Synonyms and codes | Prezatide copper, Copper tripeptide-1, GHK copper |
|---|---|
| Description | Copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine |
| Supplied form | Lyophilized powder |
| CAS number | 89030-95-5 |
| Molecular formula | C14H23CuN6O4+ |
| Molecular weight | 402.92 g/mol |
| Sequence | Gly-His-Lys, as the copper(II) complex |
As published by Vanta Labs, with its sources, on the GHK-Cu page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
"GHK-Cu"[tiab] OR "copper tripeptide"[tiab] OR "glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine"[tiab] OR "GHK copper"[tiab]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
"GHK-Cu" OR "copper tripeptide"re-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use GHK-Cu outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
GHK-Cu for research, documented lot by lot.
50mg vials, with a published report printing 99.581% HPLC purity. Every wholesale lot comes with its certificate of analysis, and your quote names the lot. Pricing on inquiry.
GHK-Cu research questions
How much research has been published on GHK-Cu?
PubMed indexes 151 records matching GHK-Cu (searched November 1, 2026), including 16 reviews and 1 records indexed as clinical trials. 45 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was GHK-Cu first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching GHK-Cu is from 1977 (Rabenstein DL, Biochemistry, PMID 14668).
What topics does the GHK-Cu literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of GHK-Cu papers are Copper, Growth Substances, Skin, Wound Healing. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
What is the regulatory status of GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu (prezatide copper) is not listed as an approved drug in the FDA's Drugs@FDA database (searched 24 September 2026).
Is GHK-Cu sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy GHK-Cu wholesale for research?
From the Vanta Foundry wholesale catalog: add it to your list, choose sizes and the number of vials, and send it on WhatsApp or by email. Every wholesale lot comes with a certificate of analysis.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
All compounds: research peptide publication statistics.