Myelinogenesis in the context of "Vitamin B12"

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⭐ Core Definition: Myelinogenesis

Myelination, or myelinogenesis, is the formation and development of myelin sheaths in the nervous system, typically initiated in late prenatal neurodevelopment and continuing throughout postnatal development. The term myelinogenesis is also sometimes used to differentiate the very early stages of embryonic myelination.

Myelin is formed by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. Myelination continues throughout the lifespan to support learning and memory via neural circuit plasticity as well as remyelination following injury. Successful myelination of axons increases action potential speed by enabling saltatory conduction, which is essential for timely signal conduction between spatially separate brain regions, as well as provides metabolic support to neurons.

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👉 Myelinogenesis in the context of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin or extrinsic factor, is a water-soluble vitamin involved in metabolism. One of eight B vitamins, it serves as a vital cofactor in DNA synthesis and both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. It plays an essential role in the nervous system by supporting myelin synthesis and is critical for the maturation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. While animals require B12, plants do not, relying instead on alternative enzymatic pathways.

Vitamin B12 is the most chemically complex of all vitamins, and is synthesized exclusively by certain archaea and bacteria. Natural food sources include meat, shellfish, liver, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. It is also added to many breakfast cereals through food fortification and is available in dietary supplement and pharmaceutical forms. Supplements are commonly taken orally but may be administered via intramuscular injection to treat deficiencies.

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Myelinogenesis in the context of Corticospinal tract

The corticospinal tract is a white matter motor pathway starting at the cerebral cortex that terminates on lower motor neurons and interneurons in the spinal cord, controlling movements of the limbs and trunk. There are more than one million neurons in the corticospinal tract, and they become myelinated usually in the first two years of life.

The corticospinal tract is one of the pyramidal tracts, the other being the corticobulbar tract.

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Myelinogenesis in the context of Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), also known as oligodendrocyte precursor cells, NG2-glia, O2A cells, or polydendrocytes, are a subtype of glia in the central nervous system named for their essential role as precursors to oligodendrocytes and myelin. They are typically identified in the human by co-expression of PDGFRA and CSPG4.

OPCs play a critical role in developmental and adult myelinogenesis. They give rise to oligodendrocytes, which then wrap around axons and provide electrical insulation by forming a myelin sheath. This enables faster action potential propagation and high fidelity transmission without a need for an increase in axonal diameter. The loss or lack of OPCs, and consequent lack of differentiated oligodendrocytes, is associated with a loss of myelination and subsequent impairment of neurological functions. In addition, OPCs express receptors for various neurotransmitters and undergo membrane depolarization when they receive synaptic inputs from neurons.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Corticospinal tract ← Vitamin B12 ← Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Schwann cell → Myelin sheaths → Nervous system → Development of the nervous system → Oligodendrocytes → Central nervous system → Peripheral nervous system → Neuroplasticity → Remyelination → Axon → Action potential → Saltatory conduction →