cutin

1 9.0

A waxy clear substance on the outside of leaves that helps plants keep water

noun
/ˈkjuːtɪn/

Specialized

: cutina

The cutin forms a protective layer on the surface of leaves, helping to prevent water loss.

Examples

The cutin layer on the fruit's skin protects it from pests and diseases.
Plants synthesize cutin to create a barrier against environmental stressors.
HaCaT cells, an immortalized cutin cell line isolated from adult skin, were transfected with pDNA-EFG via Lipofectamine, providing seed cells with stable expression of EGF.

Academic text (2018)

Surface Forms

cutin singular

cutins plural

Etymology

Cutin comes from the Latin root cutis, meaning 'skin', and it shares this root with the word cuticle. So cutin is like a plant's 'skin', a waxy protective layer on leaves that helps plants keep water.