Researchers in Japan and Germany have created a self-healing hydrogel whose internal architecture is so precisely organized that it resembles a microscopic plumbing system. Once the disruptive force is removed, the peptide molecules can gradually find their preferred positions again and reconstruct the organized nanofiber network. Each of those units contained 12 FQ(Pyr) molecules, together forming a tightly controlled molecular architecture. The resulting structure combines mechanical strength, flexibility, self-healing behavior, nanoscale channels, and electrical polarization in one material. Subject of Research: Self-healing, electrically polarized peptide hydrogel with ordered water channels and helical nanofibersWeb References: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75984-9References: Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-75984-9Image Credits: RIKENKeywordsSelf-healing hydrogel, peptide hydrogel, FQ(Pyr), nanofibers, cryo-electron microscopy, electrical polarization, biomaterials, tissue engineering, nanotechnology, drug delivery, biomedical engineering, ordered water channels