Myelin sheath is produced by

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: February 3, 2024

QUESTION: Myelin sheath is produced by ANS: The myelin sheath is primarily produced by two types of glial cells in the nervous system:

• Oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS)
• Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Oligodendrocytes (CNS):

• Oligodendrocytes are responsible for producing and maintaining the myelin sheath in the central nervous system.
• Each oligodendrocyte can extend multiple processes, and each process can myelinate multiple nearby axons.
• Oligodendrocytes wrap their processes around the axons, forming compact layers of myelin that insulate and protect the axons.

Schwann Cells (PNS):

• Schwann cells are responsible for the production of the myelin sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
• Each Schwann cell myelinates a single segment of an axon.
• The Schwann cell wraps itself around the axon multiple times, creating layers of myelin and leaving small gaps called the nodes of Ranvier between adjacent Schwann cells.
• This arrangement allows for saltatory conduction, where the action potential “jumps” from one node of Ranvier to the next, increasing the speed of signal transmission.