Editing Saltatory conduction (section)

{{short description|Propagation of action potentials along the myelinated axons of neurons}}
{{For|the definition of saltation in evolutionary biology|Saltation (biology)}}
[[File:Saltatory Conduction.gif|thumb|Action potential propagation in myelinated [[neuron]]s is faster than in unmyelinated neurons because of saltatory conduction.]]
{{Neuron map|Saltatory conduction occurs only on [[myelin]]ated [[axons]].}}
[[File:Propagation of action potential along myelinated nerve fiber en.svg|thumb|400px|Propagation of [[action potential]] along [[myelin]]ated nerve fiber]]

In [[neuroscience]], '''saltatory conduction''' ({{etymology|la|{{wikt-lang|la|saltus}}|leap, jump}}) is the propagation of [[action potential]]s along [[myelin]]ated [[axon]]s from one [[node of Ranvier]] to the next, increasing the [[conduction velocity]] of action potentials. The uninsulated nodes of Ranvier are the only places along the axon where ions are exchanged across the axon membrane, regenerating the action potential between regions of the axon that are insulated by myelin, unlike [[Electrical conductor|electrical conduction]] in a simple circuit.