Peptide glossary
Amino acid
The building block of every peptide and protein; a peptide is a short chain of them joined by peptide bonds.
An amino acid is a small molecule with an amine group at one end, a carboxylic acid group at the other, and a side chain in between that gives each of the twenty standard amino acids its character. Glycine's side chain is a single hydrogen; tryptophan's is a two-ring structure. When the carboxyl group of one amino acid bonds to the amine group of the next, the result is a peptide bond, and a chain of them is a peptide.
The sequence of amino acids is the peptide's identity. BPC-157 is fifteen amino acids in a fixed order; change one and it is a different compound with different behaviour. Profiles on this site state each compound's sequence length under "Identity and chemistry", and certificates of analysis confirm the sequence by mass spectrometry.
Amino acids also explain why peptides are handled the way they are. Some side chains oxidise easily, some carry charge that affects solubility, and some (cysteine) can form disulfide bridges that must stay intact for the peptide to keep its shape.
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Research & educational use only. Definitions are informational and not medical advice. Products are supplied for laboratory research and are not for human use.