Myelin is responsible for the color of white matter.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Particularly true
• D. Depends

Answer: (A)

Myelin’s lipid-rich sheaths around axons give white matter its light, glossy appearance. The high lipid content reflects light and creates the pale color seen in white matter, while gray matter, with more neuronal cell bodies and less myelin, appears darker. In histology, staining that highlights myelin (like Luxol fast blue) reinforces this distinction because the areas rich in myelin stand out as the white matter. Because of this, the statement is true: myelin is responsible for the color of white matter. The other options don’t fit because they introduce ambiguity or negate well-established histological observations.