Mielinizált

Mielinizált is the past participle of the verb "mielinoida" in Finnish. It translates to "myelinated" in English. In the context of biology and neuroscience, it refers to the process by which nerve fibers, specifically axons, become covered in a fatty insulating layer called myelin. This myelin sheath is produced by glial cells: Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system. The myelin sheath is not continuous but is interrupted at regular intervals by gaps called nodes of Ranvier. This structure allows for a significant increase in the speed of nerve impulse transmission through a process known as saltatory conduction. Unmyelinated axons transmit impulses much more slowly. Therefore, a "mielinizált" axon is one that has undergone this essential process of myelination, enabling efficient and rapid communication within the nervous system. Conditions that affect myelination, such as multiple sclerosis, can severely impair neurological function because the insulation of nerve fibers is damaged or destroyed.