Abstract
Publisher Summary The fast-conducting unmyelinated fibers of the squid offer exceptional opportunities for the study of the relationships between the axon and its satellite Schwann cells. The large size of the axon dictates a special axon–glia relationship, which consists in a multiplicity of Schwann cells necessary to cover up the perimeter of the axon. This structural arrangement facilitates the detection of the effects of axonal excitation on the Schwann cell membrane potential that otherwise would have escaped detection. In addition, the boundary region between the giant axon and the Schwann cell layer is characterized by the presence of a narrow intercellular cleft delimited by the axolemma and the Schwann cell plasma membrane. Thus, reinterpreting the electron micrographs of the surface of the giant axon of Loligo suggests that the sharply defined osmiophilic layer represent the excitable membrane, and that the space between this layer and a similar one seen at the inner border of the Schwann cell is the region in which potassium ions accumulate.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
