= Saltatory conduction
<Saltatory conduction> is propagation along a myelinated <axon> in which <action potentials> are regenerated mainly at successive <nodes of Ranvier>. Beneath the <myelin>, local <electric current> spreads to the next node and brings its excitable <cell membrane> toward threshold. The signal does not teleport across an electrically inactive gap: passive spread between nodes and active regeneration at nodes work together.<Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts and others>[Section 12.4, Propagation of the Action Potential]{ref}
The <myelin> reduces leakage and the effective <membrane capacitance> that must be charged along an insulated segment. This allows rapid transmission without requiring an enormous <axon> diameter. Removing the insulation can slow propagation or prevent the next node reaching threshold; <axon> continuity alone therefore does not guarantee reliable signaling.<Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts and others>[Sections 12.2, Myelin; 12.4, Propagation of the Action Potential]{ref}
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