NODES OF RANVIER

(MYELIN SHEATH GAPS)

• They are periodic gaps in the insulating myelin sheaths of
myelinated axons
• Nodes of Ranvier on the axonal membrane is exposed to the
extracellular space.
• NOR are uninsulated and highly enriched in ion channels.
• It participates in the exchange of ions required to regenerate
the action potential.
• Nerve conduction in myelinated axons is saltatory
conduction because the AP seems to "jump" from one node to
the next along the length of the axon.
• Rudolf Virchow - The myelin sheath of long nerves
• Louis-Antoine Ranvier - nodes (myelin sheath gap)
• The segment between nodes of Ranvier is internode and its
• The outermost part is in contact with paranodes is
juxtaparanodal region.
• The nodes are encapsulated by microvilli in the PNS, or by
perinodal extensions from astrocytes in the CNS

Structure of NOR
• The internodes are the myelin segments and the gaps between
are nodes.
• The size and the spacing of the internodes vary with the fiber
diameter that is optimized for maximal Ɵ.
• The size of the nodes - 1–2 µm
• The size of the nodes internodes - 1.5 mm long, depending on the
axon diameter and fiber type.
• The structure of the node is differ from the internodes as the axon
is exposed to the extra-cellular environment at the node and is
constricted in its diameter.
• The smaller axon reflects a higher density of neurofilaments,
which are less phosphorylated and transports signals slowly.
• Vesicles and other organelles are higher at the nodes lead to
bottleneck of axonal transport in both directions as well as local
axonal-glial signaling.
• Longitudinal section of myelinating Schwann cell at the node,
has three distinctive segments
– the stereotypic internode,
– the paranodal region
– the node itself.
• At internodes, the Schwann cell has an outer collar of
cytoplasm, a compact myelin sheath, inner collar of cytoplasm,
and the axolemma.
• At the paranodal regions, the paranodal cytoplasm loops
contact thickenings of the axolemma to form junctions.
• At node, the axolemma is contacted by Schwann microvilli &

contains a dense cytoskeletal undercoating.

• The microvilli projections in Schwann cells are perpendicular
to the nodes and are radiating from the central axons in PNS.
• One or more of the astrocytic processes come in close vicinity
of the nodes present in CNS.
COMPOSITION
• NOR contain Na+/K+ ATPases, Na+/Ca2+ exchangers and high
density of voltage-gated Na+ channels.
• A sodium channel consists of a pore-forming α subunit and
two accessory β subunits, which anchor the channel to extra-
cellular and intra-cellular components.
• The extra-cellular region of β subunits can associate with
other proteins, such as tenascin R and the cell-adhesion
molecules neurofascin and contactin.
• Contactin present at nodes in the CNS interacts with β
subunits enhances the surface expression of Na+ channels.
• PNS nodes are surrounded by Schwann cell microvilli, contain
several extracellular matrix proteins, such as tenascin-R, Bral-
1, and proteoglycan NG2, as well as phosphacan
• At CNS nodes, the axonal proteins also include contactin;
however, Schwann cell microvilli are replaced
by astrocyte perinodal extensions.
MOLECULAR ORGANIZATION
• Specialized for their function in impulse propagation
• K+ channels are essentially absent in the nodal axolemma,
whereas they are highly concentrated in the paranodal
axolemma and Schwann cell membranes at the node.
• The function of K+ channels is to contribute to the rapid
repolarization of the action potentials or buffering the K+ ions
at the nodes.
• This highly asymmetric distribution of voltage-gated Na+ and
K+ channels is in striking contrast to their distribution in
unmyelinated fibers.
MYLIENATION OF
NERVE FIBRES
 Changes in Schwann cell undergoes the process of
myelination of peripheral nerve fibers

Envelopment of the axon

In-folding of the Schwann cell surface

Membrane stretches and spirally wraps

Increase in thickness of the extension of myelin sheath

Increase in size along the length of axon as spiral increases

ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIA
• Mitochondria are usually present in areas of the cell that
expresses a high energy demand

• In the synaptic terminals, mitochondria produce the ATP

needed to mobilize vesicles for neurotransmission

• In NOR, mitochondria conducts impulses by producing ATP

that is essential to maintain the activity of energy-demanding
ion pumps
NODAL REGULATION
• Saltatory conduction requires organization of the NOR, where
the voltage-gated Na+ channels are highly populated.
• αII-Spectrin, a component of the cytoskeleton is enriched at the
nodes and paranodes at early stages and as the nodes mature,
the expression of this molecule disappears.
• αII-Spectrin in the axonal cytoskeleton stabilizes Na+ channel
clusters and organizing the mature node of Ranvier
• Oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein regulate paranodal
architecture, node length and axonal sprouting at nodes
 Functions: Action potential
• AP is a spike of +ve and -ve ionic discharge that travels along the
membrane of a cell.

• AP is a fundamental means of communication in nervous system.

• AP represent rapid reversals in voltage across the cell membrane

of axons mediated by voltage-gated ion channels

• AP travels from one location in the cell to another, but ion

flow across the membrane occurs only at NOR.

• AP signal jumps from node to node, rather than propagating

smoothly

• The clustering of voltage-gated Na+ & K+ ion channels at the

nodes permits this behavior.
Saltatory conduction (SA)
• AP has two methods to travel down the axon
– Continuous conduction for unmyelinated axons
– Saltatory conduction for myelinated axons.
• SC is defined as an action potential moving in discrete jumps
down a myelinated axon.
• Increase in speed afforded by SC assures faster interaction
between neurons.
• Charged particles spread across the NOR to depolarize it to
threshold which trigger as an AP to the next node and so on.
• Depending on firing rate of neuron, energy maintained at
resting potential can outweigh the energy savings of AP.