biological signaling.

What are peptides, and how are they different from proteins?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, typically containing 2–50 residues, while proteins are longer, often with complex three-dimensional structures. Both play crucial roles in biological signaling, but peptides’ smaller size gives them unique properties and research applications. Peptide research is foundational for understanding biology and drug development, but does not establish safety or efficacy for consumer products without rigorous clinical trials.