The key difference between pseudostratified and transitional epithelium is that pseudostratified epithelium has only one cell layer attached to the basement membrane while transitional epithelium has multiple layers of differently shaped cells.
Epithelial tissue is one of the four types of tissues which provides the first line of protection to our body. It is a sheet of cells that cover the surface of the body and line the outside of organs and body cavities. Epithelial tissue is avascular and absorbs nutrients via diffusion through the basement membrane. Epithelial tissue is classified into several categories based on the shape of the cells and the number of cell layers. Pseudostratified epithelium and transitional epithelium are two such categories. Pseudostratified epithelium has a single cell layer in which the cells are irregularly shaped, giving the appearance of more than one layer. Transitional epithelium is a specialized stratified epithelium in which the shape of the cells can vary.
