Transitional epithelium

Transitional epithelium is a compound stratified epithelium consisting of three layers of cells. It lines the urinary bladder, the pelvis of the kidney, the urethra. The deeper layers of cells in transitional epithelium are of the columnar type of cell with rounded ends which make them pyriform or pear shaped. As the cell in the deeper layers multiply by dividing, the superficial layers of cells are cast off. The superficial cell in transitional epithelium are less scale-like than those of stratified epithelium. Comparison of the illustrations will make this point clear.