Picture a cylinder (kinda like a soda can). That's the shape of a nerve fibre!
It has a plasma membrane that surrounds a small space filled with cytoplasm.
Diameter? Usually about 1µm, but some are wider (like those jumbo-sized soda cans!).
Speedy Fact: With just this simple setup, nerve impulses speed along at about 1 metre per second. It's like walking briskly!
What's the big deal about myelination? 🤷♂️
Refer to: Section C2.2.4 for a full scoop.
Myelin: Think of it as a cozy blanket made of multiple layers of phospholipid membrane wrapped around the nerve fibre.
Who does this? Good ol' Schwann cells! They wrap around the nerve fibre like you'd wrap a scarf around your neck. And each wrap leaves a double layer of phospholipid bilayer.
When Schwann cells are done, there might be 20 (or even more!) layers of this "blanket."
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Picture a cylinder (kinda like a soda can). That's the shape of a nerve fibre!
It has a plasma membrane that surrounds a small space filled with cytoplasm.
Diameter? Usually about 1µm, but some are wider (like those jumbo-sized soda cans!).
Speedy Fact: With just this simple setup, nerve impulses speed along at about 1 metre per second. It's like walking briskly!
What's the big deal about myelination? 🤷♂️
Refer to: Section C2.2.4 for a full scoop.
Myelin: Think of it as a cozy blanket made of multiple layers of phospholipid membrane wrapped around the nerve fibre.
Who does this? Good ol' Schwann cells! They wrap around the nerve fibre like you'd wrap a scarf around your neck. And each wrap leaves a double layer of phospholipid bilayer.
When Schwann cells are done, there might be 20 (or even more!) layers of this "blanket."
Unlock the Full Content!
Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology SL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟