02 · Mechanistic themes
Four pathways that recur across the literature.
Signalling
Short peptides act as ligands and transcription modulators rather than structural material, micrograms can shift whole gene programmes.
Mitochondria
Mitochondrial-derived peptides such as MOTS-c and humanin link energy sensing to insulin response and decline measurably with age.
Repair
Copper-binding and angiogenic peptides feature heavily in wound-healing literature, mostly at the cell and rodent level.
Regulation
Most research peptides are not approved therapeutics. We flag regulatory status alongside every mechanism claim.