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Schwann cell
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A Schwann cell supports axons in peripheral nerves. In a myelinated fiber, each cell wraps around one section of a single axon and forms myelin, a membrane-rich covering. Picture several insulating sleeves placed end to end along a wire.
Small gaps called nodes of Ranvier remain between the sleeves. The electrical signal uses this alternating pattern of insulated and exposed areas to travel quickly. Each Schwann cell covers one segment, not the entire nerve.
In brief
A Schwann cell is a glial cell of the peripheral nervous system that wraps around axons. In myelinated fibers, each Schwann cell forms one segment of myelin around a single axon.
Multiple Schwann cells line up along an axon, leaving small gaps called nodes of Ranvier between their segments. This arrangement alternates insulated sections with exposed areas, allowing the electrical signal to travel rapidly along the nerve.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationThe Myelin Sheath
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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