The role of oligodendroglia in the central nervous system, particularly of the interfascicular oligodendrocytes, is the formation and maintenance of myelin. Myelin is the sleeve of membranous material described by Dr. Byrne, that wraps the neuronal axon as shown in Figure 8.15 to facilitate the conduction of the action potential through saltatory conduction. Myelin is composed of concentric layers of membranes compacted against one another with an internal (i.e. against the nerve fiber) and an external collar of cytoplasm. As shown in Figure 8.15, a single oligodendrocyte contributes to the myelination of several adjacent nerve processes. Moreover, more than one oligodendrocyte contributes to the myelination of a single internode of an axon. The lamellae of myelin membranes result from the spiral wrapping of the axon by cytoplasmic processes of interfascicular oligodendroglia. Also, the oligodendrocyte forming a particular myelin internode (i.e. the myelin between two nodes) is seldom seen directly adjacent to the myelin-wrapped process. This is because thin cytoplasmic bridges connect the region of the oligodendrocyte cell body to the external wrap of myelin. It is important to note that the region of the axon exposed at the node of Ranvier is not bare. It may be the site of branching of the axon, the site of synaptic contacts, or it may be covered with various glial processes. The axon in the nodal region usually contains concentrations of organelles, especially mitochondria.
In the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), Schwann cells are responsible for the myelin formation. These cells myelinate axons differently than the interfascicular oligodendroglia. As shown in Figure 8.16, they migrate around the axon, laying a membrane covering around the axon by squeezing out the cytoplasm of the Schwann cell. Also, every internode of a PNS axon represents a single Schwann cell. In addition unmyelinated axons in the PNS are also enclosed by membranes formed by Schwann cells.