Which statement correctly describes the arrangement of nuclei in pseudostratified epithelium?

• A. All cells contact the basement membrane but nuclei lie at different levels
• B. All cells reach the surface and contact the basement membrane
• C. No cells contact the basement membrane
• D. Cells are arranged in multiple layers with all reaching the surface

Answer: (A)

Pseudostratified epithelium looks layered, but it is actually a single layer of cells all attached to the basement membrane. The key point is that the nuclei are at different levels because the cells vary in height. Some cells reach the apical surface while others do not, but every cell remains anchored to the basement membrane. This combination creates the appearance of multiple layers while preserving a single continuous base.

In practical terms, this arrangement is typical of parts of the respiratory tract, where ciliated cells and goblet cells help move mucus. So the statement that best describes this arrangement is that all cells contact the basement membrane, but their nuclei lie at different levels.