What is the significance of myelin on neurons?

Question

Jeremiah Alexander · Accepted Answer

Electrical potentials travel faster on myelinated axons than on unmyelinated ones.

Myelin is an electrical insulator, which does not allow to conduct electricity. In our body, we have both myelinated and unmyelinated axons (parts of the nerve system). Myelinated axons are created by the Schwann cells and the oligodendrocytes.

In unmyelinated axons, the electrical signal travels as a continuous wave, but in the unmyelinated axons, there are these insulators which prevent that from happening at all the positions. This causes the signal to "hop". The parts in between the insulators are called the nodes of Ranvier. The difference can clearly be seen in the image below. The action potentials will hop from one node of Ranvier to the following node.

Therefore, electrical potentials travel faster on myelinated axons than on unmyelinated ones. This is showed below, in which the relative travel speed of the potential is showed between unmyelinated (left) and myelinated (right).

Landon Anderson · Answer

undefined Myelin insulates neurons and increases the speed at which electrical impulses travel along axons. It also helps to protect and maintain the structural integrity of the neurons.