Definition

A type of cell that forms a protective covering around the nerve fibers in the peripheral nervous system.

Example

The neurilemma plays a crucial role in the regeneration of damaged nerves.

Conversation

I've been reading about nerve cells, and I came across the term neurilemma.

Oh, I think I've heard of that before! What does it refer to exactly?

It's the sheath around the axons of peripheral nerves, made by Schwann cells.

That sounds interesting! It’s amazing how much detail there is in our nervous system.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Neurilemma is formed from "neur" (from Greek "neuron", meaning nerve) and "lemma" (from Greek "lemma", meaning sheath or covering). The word refers to the sheath or covering of a nerve.

Memory Tip

Think of 'nerve' ('neur') being covered by a 'sheath' ('lemma') — that's what neurilemma means.

Visually Confused Words