Myelinated axon: Difference between revisions
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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. There are regular gaps in the myelin sheath, these are known as | 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 oligodendrocytes and in the peripheral nervous system axons are myelinated by [[schwann cells|schwann cells]]. Myelination speeds up the rate of transmission of an [[Action_potential|action potential]]. There are regular gaps in the myelin sheath, these are 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>. | ||
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Revision as of 20:01, 29 November 2012
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. There are regular gaps in the myelin sheath, these are 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.