TRANSITIONAL

EPITHELIUM
Short Note
Question:
Ques: What is the importance of the transitional epithelium in the urinary bladder?
Ans :
1. Unlike the mucosa of other hollow organs, the urinary bladder is lined with transitional epithelial tissue
that is able to stretch significantly to accommodate large volumes of urine.
2. The transitional epithelium also provides protection to the underlying tissues from acidic or alkaline
urine.
Transitional epithelium:
◦ Introduction:
The epithelium is a sheet of cells. The deep surface of this sheet rests on the basement membrane.
The cells of the epithelium form continuous layer/layers. The cells are tightly packed together and there is
little or no intercellular matrix between them.
Transitional epithelium is a special variety of stratified epithelium. somewhat similar to non-
keratinized stratified epithelium. But unlike the flattened surface cells of stratified epithelium, the surface
cells of transitional epithelium are large and rounded with abundant cytoplasm and prominent nuclei . The
surface cells are connected by tight junctions.
Diagram:
Location:
◦ A transitional epithelium is also known as urothelium.
◦ Ureter, urinary bladder, urethra, etc.
Applied Part:
urothelial carcinoma /transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) :
It is  the most common type of bladder cancer.It effects the cells that line the inside of the
bladder.