The epithelium in the image is

• A. Keratinizing stratified squamous
• B. Simple squamous
• C. Nonkeratinized stratified squamous
• D. Pseudostratified columnar

Answer: (A)

Look for a multilayered epithelium with a surface layer that is heavily keratinized. In keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium, the outermost cells are flattened and devoid of nuclei, forming a dense, eosinophilic keratin layer. Beneath this surface, several living cell layers show progressively flatter cells toward the top. This combination—multiple layers plus a dead, keratin-filled surface—is the hallmark of keratinizing stratified squamous tissue.

This differentiates it from simple squamous, which would be only one flat layer; nonkeratinized stratified squamous, where surface cells retain nuclei; and pseudostratified columnar, where nuclei appear at different heights and the cells are tall with a different arrangement.