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A study found that the cells responsible for the production of myelin selectively introduce a myelin-insulating layer in a particular set of neuronal axons in the brain’s white matter.
This represents a step forward in the basic mechanisms that may underlie neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, a newly developed method to visualize these cells will help scientists investigate demyelinating diseases.
The study, “Rabies virus-mediated oligodendrocyte labeling reveals a single oligodendrocyte myelinates axons from distinct brain regions,” was recently published in the journal Glia.
Glial cells are a type of cell found in the central nervous system. Although they are not neurons, they have crucial functions: maintaining homeostasis, forming myelin, and providing support and protection for neurons.
In the brain there are three kinds of glial cells: oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglial. The major function of oligodendrocytes is to form myelin, the insulator layer protecting neuronal axons and increasing the velocity of neuronal impulses.
An axon is a long, slender projection of a neuron whose job is to transmit information (electrical impulses) to different neurons, muscles, and glands. Neuronal axons extend from multiple brain regions and pass through the brain’s white matter.
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