The molecule and its copper chelate
GHK-Cu’s behavior starts with its structure: a short glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine chain that folds around one copper(II)…
Three amino acids that grip a single copper ion
GHK-Cu’s behavior starts with its structure: a short glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine chain that folds around one copper(II) ion, holding it in a tight square-planar pocket. That geometry is what turns a loose, reactive metal into a controlled, deliverable cargo.
This unit reads the molecule residue by residue, explains why its copper affinity is so unusually high, and shows why a chelate behaves nothing like a copper salt. Settled analytical chemistry here, not biology, is the firmest ground in the whole course.
Key terms
The copper chelate, in 3D
The linear G-H-K sequence folds into a compact copper chelate: three coordination points (the glycine amino nitrogen, the glycine-histidine amide nitrogen, and the histidine imidazole nitrogen) wrap a single copper(II) ion. Click an atom to see the role it plays, and rotate the views to see the square-planar geometry.
Geometry is the whole story: a bare copper salt scatters copper randomly, while this chelate hands it off in a controlled, square-planar pocket. That is why GHK-Cu is studied as a delivery system for copper rather than a copper supplement.