Peptide and Laboratory Glossary
Written and maintained by the AVERON Research Desk · Last reviewed September 2026
Research peptides come with their own vocabulary: chemistry terms, laboratory terms, and regulatory terms. This glossary explains each one in plain language. Terms are grouped by topic, then listed alphabetically within each group.
Chemistry and biology
- Agonist
- — A molecule that binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a response.
- Amino acid
- — The building block of peptides and proteins. The body uses twenty standard amino acids.
- Analog
- — A molecule designed to resemble a natural one, usually changed to last longer or bind more strongly.
- Angiogenesis
- — The formation of new blood vessels.
- Antagonist
- — A molecule that binds to a receptor and blocks it rather than activating it.
- Blend
- — A vial containing more than one compound, usually combined at the factory before freeze-drying.
- Co-lyophilized
- — Freeze-dried together. A co-lyophilized blend is mixed as a liquid and then dried into one powder.
- Collagen
- — The main structural protein of skin, tendon, ligament and bone.
- Fibroblast
- — A cell that produces collagen and other structural proteins.
- Fragment
- — A short section of a larger peptide or protein, sometimes made to study one part of its activity.
- GIP
- — Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, a gut hormone released after eating.
- GLP-1
- — Glucagon-like peptide-1, a gut hormone that stimulates insulin release and slows stomach emptying.
- Glucagon
- — A hormone that raises blood sugar and increases energy use.
- GHRH
- — Growth-hormone-releasing hormone, which signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.
- Half-life
- — The time it takes for the amount of a substance in the body to fall by half.
- Incretin
- — A gut hormone that increases insulin release after a meal. GLP-1 and GIP are incretins.
- Melanocortin receptors
- — A family of five receptors, MC1R to MC5R, involved in skin pigment, appetite, inflammation and sexual function.
- Mitochondria
- — The structures inside cells that produce most of their energy.
- NAD+
- — Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a molecule used in energy metabolism and DNA repair.
- Peptide
- — A short chain of amino acids joined by peptide bonds, usually between 2 and about 50.
- Peptide bond
- — The chemical link between two amino acids.
- Protein
- — A long chain of amino acids that folds into a three-dimensional shape.
- Receptor
- — A protein, usually on a cell surface, that a molecule binds to in order to send a signal.
- Residue
- — One amino acid within a peptide chain.
- Secretagogue
- — A substance that causes a gland to release a hormone.
- Sequence
- — The order of amino acids in a peptide.
- Small molecule
- — A compound much smaller than a peptide, often taken by mouth. Not a peptide.
- Telomere
- — The protective cap at the end of each chromosome, which shortens as cells divide.
- Telomerase
- — The enzyme that can rebuild telomeres.
Laboratory and handling
- Bacteriostatic water
- — Sterile water containing 0.9% benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth after a vial has been opened.
- Batch or lot
- — One production run of a compound. Each batch should have its own test report.
- Certificate of analysis (COA)
- — A laboratory document reporting a sample's identity, purity and content.
- Concentration
- — The amount of compound per unit of liquid, usually written in mg/mL.
- Diluent
- — The liquid used to dissolve a powder.
- Endotoxin
- — A toxic fragment of certain bacteria's cell walls. It is not removed by sterilizing the liquid.
- HPLC
- — High-performance liquid chromatography, the standard test for measuring purity.
- LAL test
- — The limulus amebocyte lysate test, the standard assay for detecting endotoxin.
- Lyophilized
- — Freeze-dried into a stable, dry powder.
- Mass spectrometry (MS)
- — A test that measures molecular weight to confirm a compound's identity.
- Net peptide content
- — The share of a powder's weight that is actually the peptide, as opposed to water, salts and other material.
- Purity
- — The percentage of a sample that is the target compound, as measured by HPLC.
- Reconstitution
- — Dissolving a lyophilized powder in a liquid.
- Sterile water
- — Water with no bacteria and no preservative, intended for single use.
- Sterility test
- — A test for living microorganisms in a sample.
- Task number
- — The identifier of a specific test on a laboratory's verification system.
Units
- IU (international unit)
- — A unit of biological activity, defined separately for each substance. It cannot be converted to mg without a substance-specific factor.
- mcg
- — Microgram, one thousandth of a milligram.
- mg
- — Milligram, a unit of mass.
- mL
- — Millilitre, a unit of volume.
- U-100
- — An insulin syringe scale where 100 units equals 1 mL, so 1 unit equals 0.01 mL.
Research and regulation
- BPOM
- — Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan, Indonesia's food and drug authority.
- EMA
- — The European Medicines Agency.
- FDA
- — The United States Food and Drug Administration.
- In vitro
- — Studied in cells or tissue outside a living body.
- In vivo
- — Studied in a living organism.
- Phase 2 / Phase 3
- — Mid-stage and late-stage human clinical trials. Phase 3 trials are larger and usually required for approval.
- Preclinical
- — Research done before any testing in people, in cells or animals.
- Research use only (RUO)
- — Material supplied for laboratory research, not as a medicine and not for human or veterinary use.
- WADA
- — The World Anti-Doping Agency, which publishes the list of substances prohibited in sport.
- WADA S0
- — The Prohibited List category for pharmacological substances with no current approval for human therapeutic use by any government health authority, including drugs still in development. Prohibited at all times.
- WADA S2
- — The Prohibited List category for peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics.
- WADA Monitoring Program
- — Substances WADA tracks for patterns of misuse without prohibiting them.