![]() While making this observation, German pathologist Rudolf Virchow coined the term “myelin,” from the Greek word myelós, meaning marrow or core. In the mid-19th century, scientists peering into light microscopes noticed something strange about the nerve fibers ( axons) branching from the spinal cord: they were surrounded by a glistening, white, fatty substance. ![]() Myelin was discovered in the mid-1800s, but nearly half a century passed before scientists discovered its vital role as an insulator. The Nervous System’s InsulationĬommunication between neurons depends on the spread of electrical signals, and, just as wires need to be insulated, so too do neurons. While the function of myelin remained elusive for many years, today scientists are putting their knowledge about this insulating substance to use and investigating strategies to protect and repair myelin in diseases where it is compromised like multiple sclerosis. ![]() Myelin is a fatty substance that wraps around nerve fibers and serves to increase the speed of electrical communication between neurons.
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