NURS 611 Advanced Pathophysiology Week 1 Comprehensive Quiz
2026 |Maryville
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for the synthesis of proteins within
the cell?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
C. Lysosomes
D. Ribosomes
Answer: D
Rationale: Ribosomes are the primary sites for protein synthesis, where mRNA is
translated into polypeptide chains.
2. A patient has a decrease in muscle mass due to prolonged immobilization.
This cellular adaptation is known as:
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cellular size, often resulting from disuse, decreased
protein synthesis, or increased protein catabolism.
,3. In the cell cycle, which phase is characterized by DNA synthesis and
replication?
A. S phase
B. G2 phase
C. G1 phase
D. M phase
Answer: A
Rationale: The S phase (Synthesis phase) is where DNA replication occurs to ensure both
daughter cells receive a full set of chromosomes.
4. Which mechanism is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical injury
B. Infectious agents
C. Hypoxia
D. Genetic factors
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular
injury, often resulting from ischemia.
5. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of
low solute concentration to high solute concentration is:
A. Active transport
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Filtration
Answer: B
Rationale: Osmosis is specifically the movement of water down its concentration gradient
across a membrane.
, 6. Which form of necrosis is typically associated with hypoxic injury in the brain?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
7. In a patient with chronic hypertension, the left ventricular myocardial cells
increase in size. This is an example of:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells in response to mechanical load or
stress, common in cardiac and skeletal muscle.
8. Which enzyme is responsible for ‘unzipping’ the DNA double helix during
replication?
A. DNA helicase
B. RNA polymerase
C. DNA polymerase
D. Ligase
Answer: A
Rationale: DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds between bases to separate the two
strands during replication.
2026 |Maryville
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for the synthesis of proteins within
the cell?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
C. Lysosomes
D. Ribosomes
Answer: D
Rationale: Ribosomes are the primary sites for protein synthesis, where mRNA is
translated into polypeptide chains.
2. A patient has a decrease in muscle mass due to prolonged immobilization.
This cellular adaptation is known as:
A. Atrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cellular size, often resulting from disuse, decreased
protein synthesis, or increased protein catabolism.
,3. In the cell cycle, which phase is characterized by DNA synthesis and
replication?
A. S phase
B. G2 phase
C. G1 phase
D. M phase
Answer: A
Rationale: The S phase (Synthesis phase) is where DNA replication occurs to ensure both
daughter cells receive a full set of chromosomes.
4. Which mechanism is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical injury
B. Infectious agents
C. Hypoxia
D. Genetic factors
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular
injury, often resulting from ischemia.
5. The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from an area of
low solute concentration to high solute concentration is:
A. Active transport
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Filtration
Answer: B
Rationale: Osmosis is specifically the movement of water down its concentration gradient
across a membrane.
, 6. Which form of necrosis is typically associated with hypoxic injury in the brain?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
7. In a patient with chronic hypertension, the left ventricular myocardial cells
increase in size. This is an example of:
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells in response to mechanical load or
stress, common in cardiac and skeletal muscle.
8. Which enzyme is responsible for ‘unzipping’ the DNA double helix during
replication?
A. DNA helicase
B. RNA polymerase
C. DNA polymerase
D. Ligase
Answer: A
Rationale: DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds between bases to separate the two
strands during replication.
