BPK 205 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Multiple Sclerosis, Myelin, Akon
14 Oct 2011
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Take an unmyelinated neuron, give all details to describe generation and conduction of an action potential from the trigger zone down to the terminals. The axon in an unmyelinated neuron has much more capacity to hold the charge difference due to the small distance between the outside and the inside of the axon. This large capacitance makes the required change in charge greater in order to generate an action potential. Because more charge difference is required between outside and inside of the neuron, the axon has less conductivity. Also, myelin sheath is there to protect from current leak. In its absence there would be current leak further weakening the action potential signal. However, some neurons which have axons smaller than 1 micrometer in diameter benefit from being unmyelinated. Conduction velocity for unmyelinated axons are proportional to the square root of the diameter of the axon.
