Urethral Pseudostratified Columnar Cells (Urethra Lining)

Looks layered, but isn't

The urethra is the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of your body. In boys and men it is longer, and part of it is lined with these cells.

The lining has tall cells and short cells mixed together. Their nuclei sit at different heights, so it looks like a few layers. But every cell touches the thin sheet at the bottom. That's why it is called pseudostratified, which means falsely layered.

A tough, wet lining

Urine is a waste liquid your kidneys make. The urethra lining keeps it inside the tube, where it belongs.

• The tall cells reach the inside of the tube and protect the tissue underneath.
• The short cells sit at the bottom and can help replace the tall ones.
• Small glands nearby make mucus to keep the lining wet and protected.

In boys and men, when someone grows up, the urethra also carries sperm cells out of the body.

Urethra lining quiz