University of Texas Medical Branch

Cell Biology Graduate Program

OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM

Pseudostratified columnar epithelium is like columnar epithelium, only it has different nuclear layers.  Some cells have a centrally located nucleus and others have a more basal nucleus. This photo on the left is from your olfactory epithelium slide. The photo on the right is from your trachea slide.

TRACHEA

Another example of pseudostratified epithelium, not from your class slide set, is shown below.  It shows a thin section with clearly displayed nuclei in different layers.  All cells sit on the basement membrane however.  The apical surface is covered with cilia.  What function do they perform?

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