Which of the following describes the typical ulcerations seen in ulcerative colitis?

In ulcerative colitis, the ulcerations are characterized as one-layer ulcerations that typically involve the mucosa and submucosa of the bowel. This condition primarily affects the innermost lining of the colon, leading to superficial lesions rather than deeper, transmural damage. The presence of edema in the bowel is also a common feature, as inflammation occurs in response to the ulcerations.

Unlike other inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease, which can lead to deeper, transmural ulcerations that affect all layers of the bowel wall, ulcerative colitis is limited to the mucosal surface and does not result in structural deformities or multilayer involvement. This distinction is critical in understanding the pathology of ulcerative colitis and how it differs from other gastrointestinal disorders.