The axonal connections between neurons are sheathed in myelin, which acts as an insulator to enable the propagation of electrical impulses along the axon. Like all molecular structures in the body and brain, myelin sheathing is subject to ongoing damage and must continually be maintained in order to prevent dysfunction in the nervous system. A population of cells known as oligodendrocytes undertakes this task. Conditions in which excessive loss of myelin occurs, such as the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis, are particularly …
Transplanted Neural Stem Cells Induce Remyelination in the Brains of Mice
The axonal connections between neurons are sheathed in myelin, which acts as an insulator to enable the propagation of electrical impulses along the axon. Like all molecular structures in the body and brain, myelin sheathing is subject to ongoing damage and must continually be maintained in order to prevent dysfunction in the nervous system. A population of cells known as oligodendrocytes undertakes this task. Conditions in which excessive loss of myelin occurs, such as the autoimmune condition multiple sclerosis, are particularly …