Function
While GHK-Cu acts as a tissue-remodeling and wound-healing signal, enhancing skin regeneration, angiogenesis, and repair while reducing inflammation and oxidative damage in experimental models31383, PEG-MGF is used experimentally to enhance muscle repair and hypertrophy after mechanical overload or injury by stimulating satellite-cell activation and protein synthesis6373138.
Mechanism
While GHK-Cu works as an endogenous tripeptide, Gly-His-Lys, that chelates Cu²⁺ and modulates gene expression, stimulating collagen, elastin, proteoglycan, and glycosaminoglycan synthesis while exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects31383, PEG-MGF is a poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated form of Mechano Growth Factor (IGF-1Ec splice variant) comprising the 24-aa C-terminal E-peptide of IGF-1, designed to extend half-life while activating IGF-1 receptor–mediated anabolic signaling in muscle satellite cells637322138.
Length and Sequence
GHK-Cu is 3 amino acids long, whereas PEG-MGF is longer as it has a length of 24 amino acids. GHK-Cu is made up of a sequence of Glycine, Histidine, Lysine. PEG-MGF is made up of a sequence of Tyrosine, Glutamine, Proline, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Asparagine, Lysine, Asparagine, Threonine, Lysine, Serine, Glutamine, Arginine, Arginine, Lysine, Glycine, Serine, Threonine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic acid, Glutamic acid, Arginine, Lysine.