Question

What is the purpose of the myelin sheath?

a) To protect neurons from infection
b) To transport action potential faster
c) To provide neurons with required nutrients
d) To allow neurons to grow faster

Answer 1

The myelin sheath's purpose is to facilitate faster transmission of electrical signals along neuron axons, allowing action potentials to jump rapidly between Nodes of Ranvier.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the myelin sheath is to allow for faster signal transmission along the axons of neurons. This sheath, which consists of a lipid-rich layer of insulation, is produced by glial cells, such as oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The presence of myelin enables electrical impulses to travel more rapidly due to the formation of the Nodes of Ranvier, which are gaps in the myelin sheath that allow impulses to 'jump' from one node to the next, a process known as saltatory conduction. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is: b) To transport action potential faster.