cytoprotective
|cy-to-pro-tec-tive|
🇺🇸
/ˌsaɪtoʊprəˈtɛktɪv/
🇬🇧
/ˌsaɪtəʊprəˈtɛktɪv/
protecting cells
Etymology
'cytoprotective' originates from the combining form 'cyto-' from Greek and the adjective 'protective' from Latin; specifically 'kytos' (Greek) meant 'container, cell' and Latin 'protegere' (via past participle 'protectus') meant 'to cover/defend'.
'cytoprotective' was formed in modern scientific English by combining the New Latin/Greek combining form 'cyto-' (from Greek 'kytos') with the existing English adjective 'protective' (from Latin 'protegere' through Old French/Middle English), yielding the modern technical term 'cytoprotective'.
Initially the components meant 'cell' (cyto-) and 'to cover/defend' (protect-); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'protecting cells' or 'having the property of protecting cells' in biomedical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
protecting cells from harmful agents or injury; preventing cellular damage.
Many antioxidants show cytoprotective properties against oxidative stress.
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Adjective 2
describing substances or agents that specifically protect cells (for example, from toxins, ulcers, or oxidative damage) — a pharmacological usage.
Sucralfate acts as a cytoprotective agent that helps protect the gastric mucosa.
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Last updated: 2026/01/01 21:01