[TA] an elevation on the inner surface of the ampulla of each semicircular duct; filaments of the vestibular nerve pass through the crista to reach hair cells on its surface; the hair cells are capped by the cupula, a gelatinous protein-polysaccharide mass.neuroepithelium of ampullary crest. SYN: crista ampullaris [TA], acoustic crest, transverse septum (1).