OLIGODENDROCYTE Meaning and
Definition
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An oligodendrocyte is a type of glial cell found in the central nervous system (CNS) that plays a crucial role in supporting and insulating neurons. The term "oligodendrocyte" derives from Greek, where "oligo" means "few" and "dendron" means "tree," referring to the characteristic branching extensions of these cells.
Oligodendrocytes are responsible for producing and maintaining a fatty substance called myelin, which forms a protective sheath around axons (long extensions of neurons). This myelin sheath acts as an electrical insulator, facilitating rapid and efficient transmission of nerve impulses along the axons. By insulating the axons, oligodendrocytes enhance the speed and accuracy of neuronal communication.
Furthermore, oligodendrocytes assist in the structural stability and metabolic support of neurons. They provide necessary nutrients and energy to the neurons they surround, improving their overall health and functionality. Additionally, they participate in regulating the extracellular environment by maintaining ion concentration gradients and facilitating the removal of waste products.
Disorders affecting oligodendrocytes can have significant implications on neural function. Multiple sclerosis (MS), for example, is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly targets and damages oligodendrocytes, resulting in demyelination. This disrupts normal neural signaling, leading to various neurological symptoms.
In summary, oligodendrocytes are specialized glial cells that play a vital role in the CNS by producing myelin, supporting neuronal health, and facilitating rapid nerve impulse transmission.
Common Misspellings for OLIGODENDROCYTE
- iligodendrocyte
- kligodendrocyte
- lligodendrocyte
- pligodendrocyte
- 0ligodendrocyte
- 9ligodendrocyte
- okigodendrocyte
- opigodendrocyte
- ooigodendrocyte
- olugodendrocyte
- oljgodendrocyte
- olkgodendrocyte
- ologodendrocyte
- ol9godendrocyte
- ol8godendrocyte
- olifodendrocyte
- olivodendrocyte
- olibodendrocyte
- olihodendrocyte
Etymology of OLIGODENDROCYTE
The word "oligodendrocyte" is derived from the Greek roots "oligo", meaning "few" or "small", "dendro", meaning "tree" or "branch", and "kytos", meaning "cell". Therefore, "oligodendrocyte" literally translates to "small branch-like cell". This name is suitable because oligodendrocytes are a type of glial cell in the central nervous system that have small, branched extensions called processes. These processes wrap around and insulate the axons of neurons with a fatty substance called myelin, which facilitates the rapid transmission of electrical signals.
Similar spelling words for OLIGODENDROCYTE
