= Node of Ranvier
= Nodes of Ranvier
{synonym}
A <node of Ranvier> is a short gap between adjacent <myelin> sheaths along an <axon>. Its exposed <cell membrane> contains a high density of voltage-dependent <sodium channels>, allowing an <action potential> to be regenerated after local <electric current> has spread beneath the preceding sheath. Repetition of this arrangement supports <saltatory conduction>.<Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts and others>[Sections 12.2, Myelin; 12.4, Propagation of the Action Potential]{ref}
A node is not a gap in the <axon> itself. The interior remains continuous while the surrounding insulation is interrupted. This distinction explains how current can travel between electrically excitable regions without crossing a <synapse>.
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