Research brief · Cosmetic
AHK-Cu
Copper-tripeptide cosmetic research compound used in hair-follicle and angiogenesis studies.
Class
Copper-binding tripeptide (Ala-His-Lys)
Half-life
Topical / short systemic exposure
Studied in
Hair-follicle biology, angiogenesis and copper-delivery cosmetic research.
What it is
AHK-Cu is a synthetic copper-binding tripeptide (Ala-His-Lys) studied alongside GHK-Cu as a research tool for dermal copper delivery, hair-follicle stimulation and angiogenic signalling in cosmetic and tissue-research models.
Mechanism studied
Copper(II) chelation analogous to GHK-Cu, with affinity for hair-follicle dermal papilla pathways.
Research notes
- Handled as a cosmetic-grade topical powder in formulation research.
- Mix with a hyaluronic acid serum and apply topically — cosmetic use only.
- Frequently benchmarked against GHK-Cu for follicle and fibroblast endpoints.
Before sourcing any material
- Confirm a lot-matched third-party certificate of analysis (HPLC purity and mass-spectrometry identity).
- Check the stated peptide content per vial, not just the gross vial mass.
- Plan reconstitution volumes first so the vial size matches your protocol.
- Verify what is lawful in your jurisdiction — these are in-vitro research reagents, not medicines.