sustentacular

[ suhs-tuhn-tak-yuh-ler ]

adjective

, Anatomy.

1. supporting.

sustentacular

/ ˌsʌstɛnˈtækjʊlə /

adjective

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sustentacular¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sustentacular¹

C19: from Latin sustentāculum a stay, from sustentāre to support, from sustinēre to sustain

Example Sentences

What the data show is that the virus is limited to this one type of cell called SUS, or sustentacular—cells in the olfactory tissue in the nasal cavity.

From Scientific American

Others were “sustentacular” cells, which seem to provide various kinds of support to the neurons: metabolic and physical, plus maintaining the right salt balance in the mucus that is essential for odor detection.

From New York Times

Just two days later, about half of the hamsters’ sustentacular cells were infected.

From Scientific American

Sperm are present in small groups within the sustentacular cytoplasm, but ordinarily are absent in the lumina.

From Project Gutenberg

But sustentacular cells, which support olfactory neurons in important ways, are studded with the receptors.

From Scientific American