What is saltatory conduction?

Motor neurones have a myelin sheath made of Shwann cells. It's an electrical insulator meaning action potentials cannot pass through them. Along the axon there are gaps where there's no myelin sheath, called the 'Nodes of Ranvier'. Depolarisation of a neurone only occurs at these nodes and the cytoplasm of the neurone conducts enough of an action potential for the depolarisation to 'jump' along the nodes of the axon. This is called 'saltatory condution' and means that the impulse travels along the axon a lot faster on a myelinated neurone than a non-myelinated one as the imuplse doesn't have to travel along the whole length of the axon.

EB
Answered by Emily B. Biology tutor

2808 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

The events that take place during interphase and mitosis lead to the production of two genetically identical cells. Explain how.


What's the difference between a prokaryote and a eukaryote?


What are the similarities/differences between neuromuscular junctions and cholinergic synapses?


A plant community on an extinct volcano displays the process of succession. Explain why there would be very few species at the end of the eruptive life cycle of the volcano and why rate of new species introduction would rapidly increase afterwards.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences