oligodendrocyte
noun
ol·i·go·den·dro·cyte
ˈä-li-gō-ˈden-drə-ˌsīt 
ˈō-;
ə-ˌli-gə-
: a glial cell that resembles an astrocyte but is smaller with few and slender processes having few branches and that forms the myelin sheath around axons in the central nervous system see oligodendroglia
Examples of oligodendrocyte in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In collaboration with Helena Parkington, a physiologist at Monash University, the team created brain tissues containing not only neurons, but also the astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia that help neurons stay healthy and form connections.
—
WIRED, 3 Oct. 2023
The larger orange shape is an oligodendrocyte.
—Colin Salter, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2015
The ragged extensions of an oligodendrocyte can supply many neurons (nerve cells) with myelin, an insulating material which allows each neuron’s communicating axon to transmit electrical impulses efficiently.
—Colin Salter, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2015
The oligodendrocyte begins to synthesize myelin at that spot and wrap it around the axon.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 12 Mar. 2020
Intriguingly, immature oligodendrocytes, called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), populate nearly the entire brain with little regard for the complex anatomical boundaries within brain tissue.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019
The gene is essential for OPCs to mature into oligodendrocytes.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019
The ragged extensions of an oligodendrocyte can supply many neurons (nerve cells) with myelin, an insulating material which allows each neuron's communicating axon to transmit electrical impulses efficiently.
—Doug Criss, CNN, 28 Mar. 2018
WIRED, 3 Oct. 2023
The larger orange shape is an oligodendrocyte.
—Colin Salter, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2015
The ragged extensions of an oligodendrocyte can supply many neurons (nerve cells) with myelin, an insulating material which allows each neuron’s communicating axon to transmit electrical impulses efficiently.
—Colin Salter, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2015
The oligodendrocyte begins to synthesize myelin at that spot and wrap it around the axon.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 12 Mar. 2020
Intriguingly, immature oligodendrocytes, called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), populate nearly the entire brain with little regard for the complex anatomical boundaries within brain tissue.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019
The gene is essential for OPCs to mature into oligodendrocytes.
—R. Douglas Fields, Scientific American, 18 Nov. 2019
The ragged extensions of an oligodendrocyte can supply many neurons (nerve cells) with myelin, an insulating material which allows each neuron's communicating axon to transmit electrical impulses efficiently.
—Doug Criss, CNN, 28 Mar. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oligodendrocyte.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Oligodendrocyte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oligodendrocyte. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
oligodendrocyte
noun
oli·go·den·dro·cyte
-ˈden-drə-ˌsīt
: a glial cell that resembles an astrocyte but is smaller with few and slender processes having few branches and that forms the myelin sheath around axons in the central nervous system
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