Guide · Types of peptides
Types of peptides: how our research catalogue is classed
What are the main types of peptides?
By structure, peptides are classed by the length of their chain, from a few amino acids to many; by whether the chain is modified, for example at one end; and by whether it is bound to something else, such as a metal. A product can also be a blend of several compounds in one vial.
Single synthetic peptides, and how they are named
Most of our catalogue is one synthetic peptide per vial, each with its own identifiers and its own batch record. None of their names is a systematic chemical name, so a listing under any of them should say which material it is by its identifiers. The names are of three kinds:
Names: Ipamorelin, Tesamorelin, Thymosin Alpha-1, Selank, Semax, Epitalon, Pinealon and retatrutide, which we list as GLP3 RT.
Kisspeptin-10 and GHK-Cu are single peptides too, and each has a class of its own below.
By the length of the chain
Chemists name a short peptide by its number of amino acids: a dipeptide has two, a tripeptide three, and a chain of a few is an oligopeptide. A long chain is a polypeptide. Where one of our guides states a length, it is this kind of fact:
DSIP is nine amino acids long, and Kisspeptin-10 ten.
KPV, GHK-Cu, Epitalon and Ipamorelin are short peptides.
Tesamorelin and retatrutide are much longer chains, as the formulas their listings record show.
For the others, the formula on the product page, where the listing records one, is the record of what the vial holds.
Modified and bound peptides
Two peptides can share a name and differ by a modification, and a peptide can be bound to something that is not an amino acid:
GHK-Cu is a short peptide bound to copper; Cu is copper’s chemical symbol.
CJC-1295 is listed in two forms, with DAC and no DAC. DAC is a chemical modification, so the two names describe two different materials. Ours is no DAC, in one vial with Ipamorelin.
KPV: the name alone does not say whether either end of the peptide is modified, so two listings called KPV can describe different materials.
Fragments of a longer peptide
Kisspeptin-10 is the shortest of the kisspeptin fragments: peptides cut from the product of the KISS1 gene, each named for its length. A listing that says only “kisspeptin” does not say which fragment it holds.
Blends: several compounds in one vial
A blend is a product of its own, with its own batch record. Its record should report each compound on its own, with its own purity figure and its own measured amount, not one figure for the vial. We list three kinds:
BPC-157 and TB-500, in two blends.
CJC-1295 (no DAC) and Ipamorelin, in one vial.
The Klow blend: BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu and KPV, as its certificate names them.
From the journal
Listed beside the peptides, but not one
NAD+ is a coenzyme, a small molecule built from two nucleotides, not a chain of amino acids. It is listed beside the peptides because it is supplied the same way, as a laboratory reagent for in-vitro research with its own batch record.
Names that look alike
Similar names are not similar materials. Each line below names different things:
Ipamorelin, Sermorelin and Tesamorelin: three different synthetic peptides. Sermorelin is not in our catalogue.
Selank and Semax: two different synthetic peptides, with separate records.
Epitalon and epithalamin: two different material descriptions.
Klow and Glow: we list a Klow blend, and no Glow blend.
Why we do not class them by research area
Grouping compounds by what they are studied for would be a statement about what they do in a body, and we make none. Every product here is a laboratory reagent for in-vitro research, so the classes on this page are structural, and each compound’s own guide covers its name and its batch record.
Questions
What is the difference between a peptide and a protein?
Mostly length. Both are chains of amino acids: a shorter chain is called a peptide, and a long one, usually folded, a protein. Where one ends and the other begins is a convention, not a sharp line.
Is NAD+ a peptide?
No. NAD+ is a coenzyme built from two nucleotides, not a chain of amino acids. We list it beside our peptides because it is supplied the same way.
What is a peptide blend?
A product that holds several compounds in one vial. It has its own batch record, which should name each compound with its own purity figure and its own measured amount.
Do you group peptides by what they are studied for?
No. That would be a statement about what they do in a body, and we make none. Our classes are structural, and every product is a laboratory reagent for in-vitro research.
How do I check the batch behind my vial?
Open the code printed on the vial label. It leads to the batch record: the figures copied from the laboratory’s document, the test date, the laboratory’s name and, where it is published, a link to the document itself. The lot number on the label must match the lot number on the record. See Can I check a lab report myself?
Do you advise on using these products?
No. We supply laboratory reagents, and we help with orders, shipping, batch records and certificates. We do not answer questions about use in people or animals.
All research peptides in Canada
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or cosmetic.