NURS 611 Advanced Pathophysiology Exam
1 | Actual Questions and Answers Latest
Updated (Graded A+)
1. Describe the characteristics of apoptosis.
a. A sudden, uncontrolled cell death causing inflammation
b. A programmed, regulated process of cell death without inflammation
c. Cell death due to severe trauma only
d. Permanent cell enlargement
Correct Answer: b. A programmed, regulated process of cell death without
inflammation
Rationale:
Apoptosis is a controlled, energy-dependent process that eliminates damaged or
unnecessary cells without triggering inflammation. It involves cell shrinkage,
chromatin condensation, and formation of apoptotic bodies that are phagocytosed.
This contrasts with necrosis, which is uncontrolled and causes inflammation due to
cell membrane rupture.
2. Necrosis is best characterized by which of the following?
a. Controlled cellular self-destruction
b. Cellular swelling and membrane rupture
c. Decreased intracellular calcium
d. Cell shrinkage without inflammation
Correct Answer: b. Cellular swelling and membrane rupture
Rationale:
Necrosis is a pathologic process marked by rapid loss of plasma membrane
integrity, organelle swelling, and mitochondrial dysfunction. It commonly results
from hypoxia, especially in tissues like the heart (e.g., myocardial infarction) and
kidneys, leading to inflammation and tissue damage.
, 3. Which cellular adaptation is defined as a decrease in cell size?
a. Hyperplasia
b. Hypertrophy
c. Atrophy
d. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: c. Atrophy
Rationale:
Atrophy refers to a reduction in cell size, often due to decreased workload, aging,
or loss of stimulation. A classic physiologic example is thymic atrophy during
childhood development. It can also occur pathologically in conditions like
malnutrition.
4. Hypertrophy is best described as:
a. Increase in number of cells
b. Decrease in cell size
c. Increase in size of existing cells
d. Replacement of one cell type with another
Correct Answer: c. Increase in size of existing cells
Rationale:
Hypertrophy involves enlargement of individual cells, commonly seen in muscle
tissue. Physiologic hypertrophy occurs with exercise (e.g., cardiac muscle in
athletes), while pathologic hypertrophy occurs in conditions like hypertension,
increasing cardiac workload.
5. Hyperplasia refers to which process?
a. Increase in cell size
b. Increase in number of cells
c. Cell death due to injury
d. Replacement of damaged cells with fibrous tissue
Correct Answer: b. Increase in number of cells
, Rationale:
Hyperplasia involves increased cell proliferation. It can be physiologic (e.g., liver
regeneration after partial hepatectomy) or pathologic (e.g., endometrial
hyperplasia). Unlike hypertrophy, it increases cell count rather than size.
6. Metaplasia is defined as:
a. Cell death due to toxins
b. Increase in cell number
c. Replacement of one mature cell type with another
d. Irreversible cell injury
Correct Answer: c. Replacement of one mature cell type with another
Rationale:
Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive process where one differentiated cell type is
replaced by another, often due to chronic irritation. For example, in smokers,
normal bronchial columnar cells may be replaced by stratified squamous cells.
7. During ischemia, decreased ATP production leads to which cellular effect?
a. Increased potassium inside the cell
b. Failure of sodium-potassium pump
c. Decreased intracellular calcium
d. Cellular dehydration
Correct Answer: b. Failure of sodium-potassium pump
Rationale:
ATP depletion impairs the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump, causing sodium and
calcium to accumulate inside the cell while potassium diffuses out. This leads to
water influx and cellular swelling, a hallmark of early reversible injury.
8. Anaerobic metabolism (glycolysis) occurs when:
a. Oxygen supply is abundant
b. ATP levels are high
1 | Actual Questions and Answers Latest
Updated (Graded A+)
1. Describe the characteristics of apoptosis.
a. A sudden, uncontrolled cell death causing inflammation
b. A programmed, regulated process of cell death without inflammation
c. Cell death due to severe trauma only
d. Permanent cell enlargement
Correct Answer: b. A programmed, regulated process of cell death without
inflammation
Rationale:
Apoptosis is a controlled, energy-dependent process that eliminates damaged or
unnecessary cells without triggering inflammation. It involves cell shrinkage,
chromatin condensation, and formation of apoptotic bodies that are phagocytosed.
This contrasts with necrosis, which is uncontrolled and causes inflammation due to
cell membrane rupture.
2. Necrosis is best characterized by which of the following?
a. Controlled cellular self-destruction
b. Cellular swelling and membrane rupture
c. Decreased intracellular calcium
d. Cell shrinkage without inflammation
Correct Answer: b. Cellular swelling and membrane rupture
Rationale:
Necrosis is a pathologic process marked by rapid loss of plasma membrane
integrity, organelle swelling, and mitochondrial dysfunction. It commonly results
from hypoxia, especially in tissues like the heart (e.g., myocardial infarction) and
kidneys, leading to inflammation and tissue damage.
, 3. Which cellular adaptation is defined as a decrease in cell size?
a. Hyperplasia
b. Hypertrophy
c. Atrophy
d. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: c. Atrophy
Rationale:
Atrophy refers to a reduction in cell size, often due to decreased workload, aging,
or loss of stimulation. A classic physiologic example is thymic atrophy during
childhood development. It can also occur pathologically in conditions like
malnutrition.
4. Hypertrophy is best described as:
a. Increase in number of cells
b. Decrease in cell size
c. Increase in size of existing cells
d. Replacement of one cell type with another
Correct Answer: c. Increase in size of existing cells
Rationale:
Hypertrophy involves enlargement of individual cells, commonly seen in muscle
tissue. Physiologic hypertrophy occurs with exercise (e.g., cardiac muscle in
athletes), while pathologic hypertrophy occurs in conditions like hypertension,
increasing cardiac workload.
5. Hyperplasia refers to which process?
a. Increase in cell size
b. Increase in number of cells
c. Cell death due to injury
d. Replacement of damaged cells with fibrous tissue
Correct Answer: b. Increase in number of cells
, Rationale:
Hyperplasia involves increased cell proliferation. It can be physiologic (e.g., liver
regeneration after partial hepatectomy) or pathologic (e.g., endometrial
hyperplasia). Unlike hypertrophy, it increases cell count rather than size.
6. Metaplasia is defined as:
a. Cell death due to toxins
b. Increase in cell number
c. Replacement of one mature cell type with another
d. Irreversible cell injury
Correct Answer: c. Replacement of one mature cell type with another
Rationale:
Metaplasia is a reversible adaptive process where one differentiated cell type is
replaced by another, often due to chronic irritation. For example, in smokers,
normal bronchial columnar cells may be replaced by stratified squamous cells.
7. During ischemia, decreased ATP production leads to which cellular effect?
a. Increased potassium inside the cell
b. Failure of sodium-potassium pump
c. Decreased intracellular calcium
d. Cellular dehydration
Correct Answer: b. Failure of sodium-potassium pump
Rationale:
ATP depletion impairs the sodium-potassium (Na⁺/K⁺) pump, causing sodium and
calcium to accumulate inside the cell while potassium diffuses out. This leads to
water influx and cellular swelling, a hallmark of early reversible injury.
8. Anaerobic metabolism (glycolysis) occurs when:
a. Oxygen supply is abundant
b. ATP levels are high
