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Sertoli cell

any of the elongated cells lining the seminiferous tubules that protect and nourish developing sperm. As the sperm approach maturity, they become oriented in the seminiferous tubules so that they are partly embedded in the Sertoli cells. [Enrico Sertoli (1842–1910), Italian histologist]

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Psychology term of the day

December 26th 2024

false self

false self

in the object relations theory of British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (1896–1971), the self that develops as a defense against impingements and in adaptation to the environment. This contrasts with the true self, which develops in an environment that adapts to the infant and allows him or her to discover and express true impulses.