Question

Schwann cells are functionally similar to ________.

1) ependymal cells
2) microglia
3) oligodendrocytes
4) astrocytes

Answer 1

Schwann cells are functionally similar to oligodendrocytes.

Answer 2

Schwann cells are functionally similar to oligodendrocytes, both creating a myelin sheath around axons, but in different parts of the nervous system.

Step-by-step explanation:

Schwann cells are functionally similar to oligodendrocytes. Both Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes are types of glial cells whose primary function is to insulate axons with a myelin sheath. However, they differ in their location; Schwann cells produce myelin in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), while oligodendrocytes produce myelin in the central nervous system (CNS).

While Schwann cells envelop only a single axon segment, oligodendrocytes have extensions that reach out to and myelinate multiple axons. The myelin produced by these cells is crucial as it increases the speed at which electrical impulses travel along the nerve cell, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the nervous system's communication.