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Essential Macromolecular Structures for the Function of the Myelin Membrane of Central Nervous System

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Molecular Mechanisms of Aging

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Abstract

The myelination of axons was a decisive step in evolution which achieved several advantages. The myelin sheath forms an insulator of axons. Several plasma membrane processes of oligodendrocytes target different axons and wrap these spirally at a width of 1–2 µm, leaving the axons naked only at small areas, at the nodes of Ranvier, where the saltatory conductance occurs associated with a depolarization of this very restricted area. This saltatory mode of conductance leads to a 100fold and more increase in the velocity of information transfer between neurons and target cells. Myelination allows a rapid conductance with a reduced diameter of axons. Therefore several times more axons can be accommodated in the same space compared to unmyelinated axons. This explains the importance of myelin for the compaction of the CNS. Repolarization of the axon is limited to the nodes of Ranvier and therefore leads to an enormous saving of energy otherwise required for the repolarization of continuously depolarized naked axons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biochemie, Medizinische Fakultät der Universität zu Köln, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, D-5000, Köln 41, West Germany

    W. Stoffel

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  1. W. Stoffel
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  1. Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, 6900, Heidelberg, Germany

    Konrad Beyreuther

  2. Karlstraße 4, 6900, Heidelberg, Germany

    Gotthard Schettler (Leiter, Präsident der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften) (Leiter, Präsident der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften)

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Stoffel, W. (1990). Essential Macromolecular Structures for the Function of the Myelin Membrane of Central Nervous System. In: Beyreuther, K., Schettler, G. (eds) Molecular Mechanisms of Aging. Veröffentlichungen aus der Geomedizinischen Forschungsstelle der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, vol 1990 / 1990/2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84224-5_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84224-5_10

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-52732-9

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