The complex pathophysiological events occurring after traumatic spinal cord injuries make this devastating trauma still incurable. Peptide hydrogels are nanobiomaterials displaying desirable properties for application in regenerative medicine because they are absorbable, injectable, allowing biofunctionalization, controlling release of trophic factors and mimic extracellular matrix.

In an experimental study, the potentiality of the IKVAV-functionalized hydrogel was explored to provide a permissive environment for cell migration and growth as well as sustained release of BDNF at the lesion after severe compression injury in rats.

Although the locomotor functional recovery was not observed, the axon preservation and minimal inflammation in animals treated with BDNF incorporated hydrogel indicate the potentiality of the designed intervention for further evaluations in the path of developing efficient therapies for severe spinal cord injury.