Melanotan II (MT2)

What is Melanotan II?

Melanotan II (MT2) is a peptide, which is a very small protein. It is a lab-made copy of a natural hormone called alpha-MSH.

Alpha-MSH is short for melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It binds to melanocortin receptors, which are docking points on cells. This sets off the making of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its color.

What researchers study it for

• How melanin is made. Researchers study how MT2 binds to melanocortin receptors and sets off melanin.
• Skin pigment studies. Labs study how skin color changes in study models.
• Half-life next to MT1. Studies compare its half-life, about 5 to 10 hours. Melanotan I (MT1) has a shorter half-life of about 1 hour.
• Dose size studies. Research uses lower doses of MT2 than MT1. MT2 is more potent, so less is used.

What you get

One sealed glass vial of powder. Each vial holds 10 mg of MT2.

How to store it

Keep the sealed vial in a fridge, away from light. Once you mix it with liquid, keep it cold and use it soon.

Words you might not know

• Peptide — a very small protein, made of amino acids joined in a chain.
• Alpha-MSH — a hormone that the body makes on its own.
• Melanocortin receptor — a docking point on a cell that alpha-MSH binds to.
• Melanin — the pigment that gives skin its color.
• Half-life — the time it takes for half of a compound to break down.

Sold for laboratory research only. Not for human consumption.