nerve fibres

Last reviewed 01/2018

Nerve fibres are classified as 'A', 'B' or 'C' fibres. The smallest nerve fibres are small unmyelinated 'C' fibres (conduction velocity 0.5-2.0 m/s - in this type of fibre the action potential is conducted by a spreading wave of depolarisation) increasing to the largest class of nerve fibre, 'A' (conduction velocity 70-120 m/s - the nerve impulse is conducted by 'jumping' along the nodes of Ranvier).