Neuroscience 3 Views 1 Answers
Is the myelin sheath of optic nerve axons provided by Schwann cells or oligodendroglia? Why?
Is the myelin sheath of optic nerve axons provided by Schwann cells or oligodendroglia? Why?
Answer
The myelin sheath of optic nerve axons is provided by oligodendroglia (also known as oligodendrocytes). This is because the optic nerve is part of the central nervous system (CNS), where oligodendrocytes are responsible for myelinating axons. In contrast, Schwann cells are the myelinating cells of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
Oligodendrocytes can myelinate multiple axons simultaneously, which is essential for the dense packing of axons in the CNS, while Schwann cells typically myelinate a single axon in the PNS. This distinction is crucial for the different structural and functional requirements of the CNS and PNS
Is this note helpful?
BNO Team
Sourav