: any of the inwardly projecting folds of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion
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“Crista.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crista. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
crista
noun
cris·ta
ˈkris-tə 
plural cristae
-ˌtē, -ˌtī
1
: one of the areas of specialized sensory epithelium in the ampullae of the semicircular canals of the ear serving as end organs for the vestibular sense
called also crista ampullaris
2
: a membranous spiral fold running the length of the body of certain spirochetes
3
: an elevation of the surface of a bone for the attachment of a muscle or tendon
4
: any of the inwardly projecting folds of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion
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