Definition
oligodendrocyte
noun
- A type of glial cell in the central nervous system that produces myelin, the insulating sheath around nerve fibers.
Usage: technical; neurobiology
Examples
- Oligodendrocytes wrap around multiple axons to form the myelin sheaths that speed up nerve impulses in the brain and spinal cord.
- Damage to oligodendrocytes is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis, leading to demyelination and neurological symptoms.
- Unlike Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, each oligodendrocyte can myelinate segments of several different neurons.
- Researchers are studying how to promote oligodendrocyte regeneration to treat spinal cord injuries.
- The loss of oligodendrocytes in certain neurodegenerative diseases impairs the transmission of electrical signals along nerve fibers.