BPC-157 (Pentadecapeptide)
BPC-157 and the Growth Hormone Receptor Study
Reviewed by our laboratory team · Last updated 2026-07-03
Chang et al. (Journal of Applied Physiology, 2011) reported that BPC-157 upregulates growth-hormone receptor (GH-R) expression in cultured rat tendon fibroblasts. This finding is often cited as one mechanistic hypothesis linking BPC-157 to reported tendon and ligament repair effects in animal models.
Key facts
- Reference
- Chang et al., J Appl Physiol, 2011
- System
- Cultured rat tendon fibroblasts
- Finding
- GH-R expression upregulation
Interpretation
The finding is a single in vitro study. It supports a hypothesis rather than establishing a general mechanism, and has not been extensively replicated.
Extended research context
The BPC-157 (Pentadecapeptide) deep dive
Deep dive: the pentadecapeptide sequence
BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide with the sequence Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val. It is derived from a fragment identified in human gastric juice by the Zagreb research group (Sikirić and colleagues), whose body of published work spans three decades and covers models ranging from tendon repair to gut integrity. The 'BPC' initials stand for 'body protection compound' — the group's original characterisation term.
Two forms: acetate salt vs arginate
BPC-157 is supplied most commonly as an acetate salt; a small subset of suppliers offer the arginate form, which has slightly different solubility and stability properties. For research reproducibility, keep the salt form consistent across a study and confirm which form the CoA specifies (mass ± counterion changes the reading).
Reading a BPC-157 CoA
A trustworthy BPC-157 CoA lists HPLC purity (target ≥98% area), mass-spec confirmation (~1,419 Da for the free peptide), water content (Karl Fischer), acetate content, and residual solvents. Some batches also include endotoxin data. Any missing category is a red flag for a compromised supply chain.
Research applications
- ▸Cell-culture models of gut epithelial integrity
- ▸Tendon fibroblast migration and collagen-synthesis assays
- ▸Angiogenesis models involving VEGF and NO signalling
- ▸Stability studies comparing acetate vs arginate salt forms
- ▸Analytical reference for pentadecapeptide HPLC methods
Handling checklist
- ✓Store lyophilised vial at −20 °C long-term (2–8 °C short-term)
- ✓Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water; a 5 mg vial dissolves cleanly
- ✓Aliquot reconstituted solution; keep refrigerated 2–8 °C, use within 28 days
- ✓Protect from light and repeated warming
- ✓Verify CoA: HPLC ≥98%, mass ~1,419 Da, salt form declared
Common research-handling mistakes
Learnt from thousands of researcher orders across our UK labs.
✗ Mixing acetate and arginate BPC-157 across a study
Fix: Choose one salt form and stay with it — different masses and solubility.
✗ Assuming stability at room temperature
Fix: Refrigerate reconstituted solution; discard after 28 days.
✗ Buying without a CoA
Fix: Only source from suppliers that publish batch HPLC + mass-spec data.
Continue researching
Peer-reviewed guides, comparators and matched reference materials.
Related questions researchers ask
- What does BPC-157 stand for?
- Is BPC-157 the same as pentadecapeptide?
- Who discovered BPC-157?
- What is the difference between BPC-157 acetate and arginate?
- How is BPC-157 reconstituted for research?
Frequently asked questions
- Does this prove BPC-157 works via GH-R in humans?
- No — the study is in cultured rat cells; translation is uncertain.
Primary sources & clinical trials
Peer-reviewed research and registered trials from PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubChem, FDA and NIH. All links open in a new tab (external, rel="nofollow").
- PubMedChang et al., J Appl Physiol 2011pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedSikirić et al., Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 — Curr Pharm Des 2018 (PMID 29786490)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedCerovecki et al., Pentadecapeptide BPC-157 promotes ligament healing — J Orthop Res 2010 (PMID 19725106)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedSeiwerth et al., BPC-157 and blood vessels — Curr Pharm Des (PMID 25373685)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubChemPubChem · BPC-157 (CID 71300630)pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedNIH PubMed — Complete BPC-157 literature (Sikiric group)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- GuidelineGoogle — Creating helpful, reliable, people-first contentdevelopers.google.com
More BPC-157 (Pentadecapeptide) articles
- What Is BPC-157? Research OverviewBPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide derived from a protein isolated in human gastric juice. Structure, mechanism and research history summarised.
- BPC-157 Peptide: Structure and SequenceBPC-157 structure: 15-amino-acid pentadecapeptide with sequence GEPPPGKPADDAGLV. Rich in proline residues, contributing to unusual stability.
- What Does BPC-157 Stand For?BPC-157 stands for 'Body Protection Compound 157' — a name coined by the Zagreb research group describing its studied protective effects.
- BPC-157 Mechanism: Multi-Pathway ResearchBPC-157 mechanism research: multiple pathways proposed including nitric oxide system modulation, growth-factor interactions, and angiogenesis.
- BPC-157 and the Gastric Juice OriginBPC-157's parent protein was identified in human gastric juice. The 15-residue synthetic fragment is derived from this larger native protein.
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- Bacteriostatic WaterWhat Is Bacteriostatic Water?Bacteriostatic water is sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a bacteriostatic preservative. The benzyl alcohol inhibits bacterial growth after the vial's initial puncture, making the same vial suitable for repeated withdrawal in research handling. It is not the same as plain sterile water.