Ever wonder what’s actually happening at the cellular level when a peptide “works”? We built an interactive 3D mechanism visualizer — the Peptide Atlas — to show the real signaling cascade, step by step. Below are all five mechanism videos, straight from the Atlas.
Semaglutide: Binding GLP-1R
Semaglutide is a 31-amino-acid GLP-1 receptor agonist with a C18 fatty-acid tail on Lys26 for albumin binding — that’s what gives it its long half-life and once-weekly dosing. This clip shows the binding and receptor-activation step of the cascade.
Explore the full interactive Semaglutide mechanism →
Tirzepatide: A Dual-Receptor Approach
Tirzepatide is a 39-amino-acid molecule that activates both GLP-1R and GIPR at once, with a C20 fatty-acid tail on Lys20 for once-weekly dosing. This animated walkthrough covers binding, dual Gs/cAMP activation, amplification, insulin secretion and satiety, and the albumin-bound depot that sustains weekly exposure.
Explore the full interactive Tirzepatide mechanism →
Retatrutide: One Molecule, Three Receptors
Retatrutide (LY3437943) is an investigational 39-amino-acid molecule that activates three receptors at once — GLP-1R, GIPR, and GCGR — combining incretin effects with a glucagon-receptor arm that drives hepatic energy expenditure. This 54-second sequence walks through the full cascade: the gut-to-pancreas journey, triple-receptor activation, cAMP amplification, glucose-dependent insulin release, and the downstream effects on the liver, brain, and muscle.
Explore the full interactive Retatrutide mechanism →
BPC-157: Angiogenesis and Tissue Repair
BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid fragment derived from a gastric protective protein, studied in preclinical models for its role in tissue repair. Rather than acting on a classic hormone receptor, it engages VEGFR2 on endothelial cells, triggering an Akt–eNOS–nitric oxide cascade that drives new capillary growth, fibroblast migration, and collagen remodeling at injury sites. This 42-second sequence walks through that full repair cascade.
Explore the full interactive BPC-157 mechanism →
GHK-Cu: Copper, Collagen, and Skin Remodeling
GHK-Cu is a copper-binding tripeptide (Gly-His-Lys) studied for its role in skin remodeling. It delivers Cu²⁺ into tissue, activating lysyl oxidase and collagen gene expression, which drives collagen cross-linking, a balanced MMP/TIMP remodeling response, and re-epithelialization. This animated sequence walks through that five-step process.
Explore the full interactive GHK-Cu mechanism →
Browse the full Atlas
The Peptide Atlas now covers all five of these compounds, each with a five-step signaling breakdown, a pathway diagram, and an interactive mechanism video. Browse the full library →
Educational content only. Not medical advice. Retatrutide is investigational and BPC-157 is research-only / not FDA-approved for musculoskeletal use in most regions; nothing here should be interpreted as a recommendation to obtain or use any peptide.