Oligodendrocytes
- Published31 Aug 2020
- Author Calli McMurray
- Source BrainFacts/SfN
Oligodendrocytes insulate the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, speeding up neural signaling. Schwann cells have the same job outside of the brain and spinal cord.
Brain Bytes showcase essential facts about neuroscience.
Design by Adrienne Tong.
Image "Oligodendrocytes engaging with neurites" by Prof. Peter Brophy. CC BY 4.0.
About the Author
Calli McMurray is the Media & Science Writing Associate at SfN. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.
CONTENT PROVIDED BY
BrainFacts/SfN
References
Martini, R., Groh, J., & Bartsch, U. (2010). Comparative biology of Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes. In E. Mathey & P. Armati (Eds.), The Biology of Oligodendrocytes (pp. 19–48). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cambridge Core. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511782121.003
What Is MS? (n.d.). Retrieved June 29, 2020, from https://www.nationalmssociety.org/What-is-MS
