1. Plural of cisterna; flattened membranous sacs in the endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus that store and transport proteins and lipids in cells.
Usage: biology; cell biology; technical
2. Plural of cisterna; in anatomy, any of various small cavities or spaces in the body, especially those containing cerebrospinal fluid.
Usage: anatomy; medical; technical

Examples

• The cisternae of the Golgi apparatus process and package proteins for transport.
• Under the electron microscope, cisternae appear as stacked, flattened sacs.
• Proteins move from one cisterna to the next through vesicular transport.
• The cisternae magna is an important landmark in brain imaging.
• Dysfunction of cisternae can lead to protein misfolding diseases.