SS-31 (Elamipretide, D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH2) is a cell-permeable, mitochondria-targeted tetrapeptide that selectively concentrates at the inner mitochondrial membrane through electrostatic interaction with cardiolipin. Cardiolipin is a unique diphosphatidylglycerol lipid found exclusively in the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it is essential for the structural integrity of respiratory chain complexes and the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. SS-31 stabilizes cardiolipin-cytochrome c interactions, preserving electron transport chain efficiency.

Cardiolipin is found nowhere else in the cell — only at the inner mitochondrial membrane, the exact location where ATP is generated. This specialized lipid sits at the most critical junction of cellular energy production, and SS-31's ability to target this precise location reflects a molecular specificity that mirrors the precision of the biological architecture itself. The mitochondrion is a cell within a cell, carrying its own genome and its own membrane system — a testament to the layered complexity of molecular biology.

At 99%+ purity (HPLC verified), our SS-31 is formulated for research into cardiolipin biochemistry, mitochondrial membrane dynamics, and electron transport chain studies.