Peptide Glossary
Every research peptide term, defined.
A
Acetic Acid Solution
A 0.6% acetic acid solution used to reconstitute peptides that are poorly soluble or unstable in plain water....
Amino Acid
The molecular building blocks of peptides and proteins. Twenty standard amino acids combine in specific sequences to for...
B
Bacteriostatic Water
Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a preservative - the standard solvent for reconstituting research peptid...
Batch (Lot) Number
The identifier tying a specific vial to its manufacturing run - the link that makes a COA meaningful....
Bioavailability
The fraction of an administered compound that reaches circulation in active form - the reason most peptides are injected...
C
COA
Certificate of Analysis. A laboratory document verifying a product's identity, purity, and contaminants - the single mos...
Cold Chain
Temperature-controlled storage and shipping that protects peptide stability from manufacturer to end user....
Counterfeit Peptides
Products that are mislabeled, substituted, or fake - from underdosed vials to entirely wrong compounds sold under popula...
E
G
GHRH
Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone. The hypothalamic peptide that stimulates GH release from the pituitary - parent of ser...
GLP-1
Glucagon-like peptide-1. An incretin hormone that regulates insulin secretion, gastric emptying, and appetite - the targ...
Ghrelin
The 'hunger hormone' - a peptide whose receptor (GHS-R1a) is the target of the GHRP class: ipamorelin, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, a...
H
HPLC
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. The standard laboratory method for measuring peptide purity - the number you see...
Half-Life
The time for half of a compound to be cleared or degraded - the key pharmacokinetic property that determines research do...
I
IGF-1
Insulin-like Growth Factor 1. A 70-amino-acid protein mediating growth hormone's anabolic effects - parent of the resear...
In Vitro
Research conducted in a controlled environment outside a living organism - cell cultures, test tubes, assays. Latin: 'in...
In Vivo
Research conducted within a living organism - animal models or human trials. Latin: 'in the living'....
L
M
Mass Spectrometry
A laboratory technique that confirms a peptide's identity by measuring its exact molecular weight - the identity check t...
Melanocortin
A family of peptides and receptors (MC1R-MC5R) governing pigmentation, appetite, and sexual function - the system target...
P
Peptide
A short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds - typically 2 to 50 amino acids - that acts as a signaling molecule...
Preclinical
The research stage before human trials - in vitro and animal studies. Most research peptides have only preclinical evide...
Purity
The percentage of a sample that is the target peptide, as measured by HPLC. 98%+ is the accepted standard for research-g...
R
RUO
Research Use Only. A legal designation meaning a compound is sold strictly for laboratory research and is not intended, ...
Reconstitution
The process of dissolving a lyophilized peptide in a solvent - typically bacteriostatic water or acetic acid solution - ...
S
Sequence
The specific order of amino acids that defines a peptide - its molecular identity, written from N-terminus to C-terminus...
Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis
SPPS - the standard manufacturing method for research peptides, where amino acids are coupled one at a time to a chain a...
Subcutaneous
Administration into the fatty tissue layer beneath the skin - the standard injection route in peptide research, abbrevia...