Question

Explain the properties of myelinated nerves in terms of the insulating properties of myelin.

Short answer

Myelin's insulating characteristics keep impulses from traveling from one nerve to another (cross talk). Furthermore, myelination can considerably improve the speed with which messages are transported between neurons.

Step-by-step solution

Explanation of Myelin

Myelin is a lipid-rich (fatty) material that surrounds nerve cell axons (the nervous system's "wires") to insulate them and speed up the transmission of electrical impulses (known as action potentials).

The lipid-rich myelin layer functions as an insulator, providing high transverse resistance and only allowing current to travel between the nodes of Ranvier.

Properties of myelinated nerves

Myelin's insulating characteristics keep impulses from traveling from one nerve to another (cross talk).

Furthermore, myelination can considerably improve the speed with which messages are transported between neurons (known as action potentials).