A complete reference on the molecular pathways of aging research — genomic and telomeric stability, the NAD+ and sirtuin axis, mitochondrial bioenergetics, and tissue remodeling — with mechanisms, specifications, key literature, and per-lot-verified research reagents.
Aging is not a single process but a set of interlocking cellular changes. The influential "hallmarks of aging" framework organizes these into categories — genomic instability, telomere attrition, mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of proteostasis, and others — each of which is a distinct research target.
The value of this framework for compound research is that it maps tools to mechanisms. A telomere-focused peptide engages a different hallmark than a mitochondrial-protective peptide, and a researcher choosing reagents is really choosing which axis of cellular aging to probe.[1] The compounds in this guide cluster around four of the most actively studied hallmarks: genomic and telomeric stability, mitochondrial dysfunction, deregulated nutrient sensing (the NAD+/sirtuin axis), and tissue and extracellular-matrix remodeling.
Research framing only · No therapeutic, dosing, or human-use claims
02Genomic & Telomeric Pathways
Telomeres — the protective caps on chromosome ends — shorten with each cell division, and their attrition is one of the canonical hallmarks of aging. The enzyme telomerase can extend them, and compounds studied for telomerase modulation are central tools in this area.[2]
The tetrapeptide Epitalon is the most-studied peptide in this space. Derived from the pineal extract epithalamin, it has been investigated in model systems for telomerase activation and for regulation of the pineal–melatonin axis that governs circadian biology — a pathway broadly linked to aging research.[3]
03The NAD+ & Sirtuin Axis
Few molecules sit closer to the center of aging research than NAD+. As both a redox coenzyme and a required substrate for the sirtuin and PARP enzyme families, its decline with age is one of the most reproducible biochemical signatures of cellular aging.
Sirtuins — NAD+-dependent enzymes — regulate mitochondrial biogenesis, DNA repair, and stress resistance, but they can only act when NAD+ is available. This makes NAD+ availability a focal point: researchers study it to understand how nutrient sensing, mitochondrial function, and genomic maintenance are coupled.[4] Running alongside this axis, mitochondrial-protective peptides such as MOTS-c and MTP address the energy-production side of the same problem.[6][7]
EpitalonTelomere / Pineal
Epitalon is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly) based on the active fragment of epithalamin, a peptide complex isolated from the pineal gland. It is the most extensively studied peptide in longevity research.[2]
What researchers study
In model systems, Epitalon has been investigated for telomerase activation and the maintenance of telomere length in somatic cells, and separately for its regulation of the pineal–melatonin axis and circadian signaling. Both lines of work make it a core tool for studying genomic-stability and neuroendocrine hallmarks of aging.[3]
Specifications
Class
Synthetic tetrapeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly)
Molecular weight
390.39 g/mol
Form
Lyophilized powder
Purity
≥99% (HPLC, MS-verified)
Available
10 · 20 · 50 mg
NAD+NAD+ Coenzyme
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an essential coenzyme present in every cell, functioning both as a redox carrier in energy metabolism and as the required substrate for the sirtuin and PARP enzyme families. Its cellular levels decline measurably with age.[4]
What researchers study
NAD+ is studied as the linchpin coupling energy metabolism, DNA repair, and sirtuin signaling. Research programs use it to investigate how restoring nucleotide availability affects mitochondrial function and stress-response pathways in aging-model systems.[4]
Specifications
Class
Pyridine nucleotide coenzyme
Molecular weight
663.43 g/mol
Form
Lyophilized powder
Purity
≥99% (HPLC, MS-verified)
Available
100 · 500 · 1000 mg
GHK-CuCopper Tripeptide
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine complexed with copper) whose plasma concentration declines with age. It is one of the most-cited peptides in tissue-remodeling and skin-biology research.[5]
What researchers study
GHK-Cu is investigated for its broad effects on gene expression and extracellular-matrix remodeling — including collagen and proteoglycan synthesis — and for its proposed ability to reset aged-tissue expression patterns toward a more youthful profile in model systems.[5]
Specifications
Class
Copper-binding tripeptide (GHK-Cu)
Molecular weight
404.92 g/mol
Form
Lyophilized powder
Purity
≥99% (HPLC, MS-verified)
Available
50 · 100 mg
MOTS-cMitochondrial-Derived Peptide
MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide — a short peptide encoded within the mitochondrial genome itself. Its discovery helped establish that mitochondria signal to the rest of the cell, not just generate ATP.[6]
What researchers study
MOTS-c is studied for its role in metabolic homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, acting in part through AMPK-related pathways, and is frequently described as an exercise-mimetic signal in research models — making it a tool for both metabolic and longevity programs.[6]
Specifications
Class
Mitochondrial-derived peptide
Molecular weight
2,174.4 g/mol
Form
Lyophilized powder
Purity
≥99% (HPLC, MS-verified)
Available
10 mg
MTPCardiolipin-Targeting
MTP (elamipretide) is a cell-permeable tetrapeptide that selectively concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it binds the phospholipid cardiolipin. Cardiolipin organization is essential for efficient electron transport.[7]
What researchers study
By stabilizing cardiolipin, MTP is studied for its capacity to preserve mitochondrial bioenergetics and reduce reactive-oxygen-species leakage in models of mitochondrial dysfunction — one of the core hallmarks of aging.[7]
Specifications
Class
Cardiolipin-targeting tetrapeptide
Molecular weight
639.79 g/mol
Form
Lyophilized powder
Purity
≥99% (HPLC, MS-verified)
Available
5 · 10 · 20 mg
09Supporting Compounds
Beyond the core longevity tools, several antioxidant and immune-aging peptides appear together in comprehensive aging-research programs.
A practical view of the core reagents in this guide — class, vial range, and entry price — to help researchers scope a study budget. Larger vials carry a lower per-milligram cost.
Compound
Class
Vial range
From
Best value vial
Epitalon
Telomere peptide
10–50 mg
$44.99
50 mg — $174.99 ($3.50/mg)
NAD+
NAD+ coenzyme
100–1000 mg
$24.99
1000 mg — $159.99 ($0.16/mg)
GHK-Cu
Copper tripeptide
50–100 mg
$54.99
100 mg — $94.99 ($0.95/mg)
MOTS-c
Mito-derived peptide
10 mg
$94.99
$9.50/mg
MTP
Cardiolipin-targeting
5–20 mg
$89.99
20 mg — $279.99 ($14.00/mg)
11Handling, Reconstitution & Storage
These are general handling notes for lyophilized peptide reagents in a laboratory setting — not use instructions of any kind.
Storage
Lyophilized (freeze-dried) peptides are most stable as a dry powder. Stored at −4°F and protected from light and moisture, they remain stable for extended periods. Vials should be allowed to reach room temperature before opening to avoid condensation on the powder.
Reconstitution
For laboratory work, peptides are typically reconstituted with bacteriostatic or sterile water added slowly against the vial wall, then swirled — not shaken — until fully dissolved. Reconstituted peptide is kept refrigerated at 36–46°F and used within the window established by the researcher's protocol.
Handling notes for laboratory reagents only · Not directions for human or veterinary use
12Purity & Verification
Every Ethos Bio lot is analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC and independently confirmed by mass spectrometry through our third-party partner, Janoshik Analytical. A signed Certificate of Analysis documenting identity and ≥99% purity is provided for every lot and mirrored to your researcher account.
Every lot, independently verified
Identity by mass spectrometry, purity by HPLC. The COA shipped with your order reflects your specific lot.
Which peptides are most studied in longevity research?
Epitalon (telomere and pineal signaling), NAD+ (the sirtuin and energy axis), GHK-Cu (tissue remodeling), and the mitochondrial peptides MOTS-c and MTP are among the most actively studied. All are supplied strictly for research use.
What does telomerase have to do with aging?
Telomeres cap and protect chromosome ends, and they shorten with each cell division — one of the canonical hallmarks of aging. Telomerase can extend them, which is why telomerase-modulating compounds like Epitalon are studied in this field.
Why is NAD+ central to aging research?
NAD+ is both an energy-metabolism coenzyme and the required fuel for sirtuin and PARP enzymes that govern DNA repair and stress resistance. Because cellular NAD+ declines with age, restoring it is a major focus of longevity research.
Are these compounds anti-aging treatments?
No. Every compound listed is supplied strictly as a research reagent for laboratory and animal-model study. Nothing here is for human consumption, and no anti-aging, cosmetic, or therapeutic claims are made.
How is purity verified?
Every Ethos Bio lot is analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC and independently confirmed by mass spectrometry, with a per-lot Certificate of Analysis documenting identity and ≥99% purity.
14References
López-Otín C, Blasco MA, Partridge L, Serrano M, Kroemer G. The hallmarks of aging. Cell. 2013;153(6):1194–1217.
Khavinson VKh, Bondarev IE, Butyugov AA. Epithalon peptide induces telomerase activity and telomere elongation in human somatic cells. Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2003;135(6):590–592.
Anisimov VN, Khavinson VKh. Peptide bioregulation of aging: results and prospects. Biogerontology. 2010;11(2):139–149.
Verdin E. NAD+ in aging, metabolism, and neurodegeneration. Science. 2015;350(6265):1208–1213.
Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and protective actions of the GHK-Cu peptide in the light of the new gene data. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018;19(7):1987.
Lee C, Zeng J, Drew BG, et al. The mitochondrial-derived peptide MOTS-c promotes metabolic homeostasis and reduces obesity and insulin resistance. Cell Metabolism. 2015;21(3):443–454.
Szeto HH. First-in-class cardiolipin-protective compound as a therapeutic agent to restore mitochondrial bioenergetics. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2014;171(8):2029–2050.
References are provided for scientific context on the receptor pathways discussed. Citation of a study does not constitute a therapeutic claim about any Ethos Bio product, all of which are sold for Research Use Only.
