Myelin matters: proteomic insights into white matter disorders.

摘要

Fast and energy-efficient (saltatory) signal propagation along neuronal axons is made possible by the restriction of action potentials to short, specialized axonal segments, termed the nodes of Ranvier. The extended internodal segments are spared from the comparatively slow and energy-costly process of membrane depolarization because they are electrically insulated with a sleeve of a multi-layered, lipid-rich plasma membrane arrangement, termed myelin (Figure i).