Definition

Noun 1. A type of neuroglial tissue: Oligodendria refers to the tissue in the central nervous system composed of oligodendrocytes. These cells have sheet-like extensions that wrap around nerve fibers to form the insulating myelin sheath, which is crucial for the rapid transmission of electrical signals.

Usage Examples

• Under the microscope, the oligodendria appeared healthy and intact.
• Damage to the oligodendria can lead to impaired nerve signal conduction.
• The study focused on how the oligodendria develop and maintain the myelin sheath.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in technical, medical, and biological contexts when discussing the structure and pathology of the central nervous system.
• It is typically treated as a mass noun, referring to the tissue collectively rather than to individual cells.

Variants and Related Words

• Oligodendrocyte (noun): The individual glial cell type that constitutes oligodendria.
• Oligodendroglia (noun): A synonym for oligodendria, also referring to the tissue or the cells collectively.
• Myelination (noun): The process carried out by oligodendria of forming the myelin sheath.

Synonyms

• Oligodendroglia

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically refers to the tissue and cells of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The equivalent cells in the peripheral nervous system are called Schwann cells.

Noun

1. tissue consisting of glial cells with sheetlike processes that form the myelin sheath of nerve fibers