Distinct Profiles of Myelin Distribution Along Single Axons of Pyramidal Neurons in the Neocortex

Abstract

Patchy Insulation Myelin insulates neuronal axons such that their electrical signals travel faster and more efficiently. However, not all axons are myelinated equally. Tomassy et al. (p. 319 ; see the Perspective by Fields ) obtained detailed images from two snippets of the adult mouse brain and generated three-dimensional reconstructions of individual neurons and their myelination patterns. The images show that some axons have long, unmyelinated stretches, which might offer sites for building new connections. Thus, myelination is not an all-or-none phenomenon but rather is a characteristic of what may be a specific dialogue between the neuron and the surrounding myelin-producing cells.