Myelinated axon: Difference between revisions
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If an axon is myelinated it means that it is surrounded by a [[Myelin Sheath|myelin sheath]], which acts as an electrical insulator. Myelin can be formed by glial cells and depending on the location of the axon, these cells differ in type. In the central nervous system axons are myelinated by [[Oligodendrocyte|oligodendrocytes]] and in the [[Peripheral Nervous System|peripheral nervous system]] axons are myelinated by [[Schwann cells|schwann cells]]. Myelination speeds up the rate of transmission of an [[Action potential|action potential]] <font color="#b00000">by a process called [[Saltatory conduction|saltatory conduction]]. The action potential is propagated (jumps) between</font> the regular gaps in the [[Myelin Sheath|myelin sheath]], known as [[Nodes of Ranvier|Nodes of Ranvier]] <ref name="Molecular Biology of the Cell">Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J,. Raff, M., Roberts, K., and Walter, P., 2008. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed. New York: Garland Science.</ref>. | If an axon is myelinated it means that it is surrounded by a [[Myelin Sheath|myelin sheath]], which acts as an electrical insulator. Myelin can be formed by glial cells and depending on the location of the axon, these cells differ in type. In the central nervous system axons are myelinated by [[Oligodendrocyte|oligodendrocytes]] and in the [[Peripheral Nervous System|peripheral nervous system]] axons are myelinated by [[Schwann cells|schwann cells]]. Myelination speeds up the rate of transmission of an [[Action potential|action potential]] <font color="#b00000">by a process called [[Saltatory conduction|saltatory conduction]]. The action potential is propagated (jumps) between</font> the regular gaps in the [[Myelin Sheath|myelin sheath]], known as [[Nodes of Ranvier|Nodes of Ranvier]]<ref name="Molecular Biology of the Cell">Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J,. Raff, M., Roberts, K., and Walter, P., 2008. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed. New York: Garland Science.</ref>. | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Latest revision as of 18:37, 4 December 2018
If an axon is myelinated it means that it is surrounded by a myelin sheath, which acts as an electrical insulator. Myelin can be formed by glial cells and depending on the location of the axon, these cells differ in type. In the central nervous system axons are myelinated by oligodendrocytes and in the peripheral nervous system axons are myelinated by schwann cells. Myelination speeds up the rate of transmission of an action potential by a process called saltatory conduction. The action potential is propagated (jumps) between the regular gaps in the myelin sheath, known as Nodes of Ranvier[1].
References
- ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J,. Raff, M., Roberts, K., and Walter, P., 2008. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th ed. New York: Garland Science.