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NAL Agricultural Thesaurus
U.S. Department of Agriculture

Concept Breadcrumbs

Fields of Study > anatomy and morphology > animal anatomy > nervous system > myelin sheath
Fields of Study > zoology > animal anatomy > nervous system > myelin sheath
Animals, Livestock, One Health > zoology > animal anatomy > nervous system > myelin sheath
Preferred Term:

myelin sheath

Definition:
The lipid-rich sheath surrounding axons in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The myelin sheath is an electrical insulator and allows faster and more energetically efficient conduction of impulses. The sheath is formed by the cell membranes of glial cells (Schwann cells in the peripheral and oligodendroglia in the central nervous system).
Concept Schemes:
NALT Full
Broader Concept:
nervous system
Narrower Concepts:
Related Concepts:
Entry Terms:
  • medullary sheath
  • myelin
URI:
https://lod.nal.usda.gov/nalt/51883
Download this Concept:
RDF/XMLCreated 2006-01-19, last modified 2016-01-25
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