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sustentacular

American  
[suhs-tuhn-tak-yuh-ler] / ˌsʌs tənˈtæk jə lər /

adjective

Anatomy.
  1. supporting.


sustentacular British  
/ ˌsʌstɛnˈtækjʊlə /

adjective

  1. anatomy (of fibres, cells, etc) supporting or forming a support

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sustentacular

1885–90; < New Latin sustentācul ( um ) a support ( Latin sustentā ( re ), frequentative of sustinēre to sustain + -culum -cule 2 ) + -ar 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Without such sustentacular cell secretion, the Müllerian duct will develop; without testosterone, the Wolffian duct will degrade.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

These include supporting cells called sustentacular cells, as well as five types of developing sperm cells called germ cells.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Secretions of sustentacular cells trigger a degradation of the female tract, the Müllerian duct.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

In males, secretions from sustentacular cells trigger a degradation of the female duct, called the Müllerian duct.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The lumina are filled with cellular detritus and are no longer bordered by a clear ring of sustentacular cytoplasm.

From Natural History of the Ornate Box Turtle, Terrapene ornata ornata Agassiz by Legler, John M.

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