NURS 611 Advanced Pathophysiology Week 2 Assessment 2026
|Maryville
1. A 55-year-old male with long-standing hypertension shows an increase in the
size of his left ventricular cardiomyocytes. This cellular adaptation is best
described as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells in response to increased
mechanical load or stress, common in cardiac and skeletal muscle which cannot undergo
mitosis.
2. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by the replacement of one mature
cell type by another, often seen in the airway of chronic smokers?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Neoplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another, such
as the change from ciliated columnar epithelium to stratified squamous epithelium in
smokers.
,3. A biopsy of the cervix reveals cells that are abnormal in size, shape, and
organization. This condition, which is often a precursor to cancer, is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells and is frequently associated with neoplastic transformations.
4. What is the primary mechanism of cellular injury during hypoxia?
A. Increased ATP production
B. Decreased intracellular calcium
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Alkalosis of the cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to ATP depletion, which causes the Na+/K+ pump to fail,
resulting in sodium entering the cell and causing cellular swelling.
5. Ischemia-reperfusion injury is primarily caused by the generation of:
A. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
B. Lactic acid
C. Potassium ions
D. Carbon dioxide
Answer: A
Rationale: Reperfusion injury occurs when oxygen is restored to ischemic tissues, leading
to the burst of reactive oxygen species that damage cell membranes and mitochondria.
, 6. Which type of necrosis is typically associated with hypoxic injury in the brain?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids, leading to tissue softening.
7. A patient with tuberculosis has a lung lesion characterized by a ‘cheese-like’
appearance. This is an example of:
A. Fibrinoid necrosis
B. Gangrenous necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is a combination of coagulative and liquefactive necrosis,
commonly seen in tuberculous pulmonary infection.
8. What is the key difference between necrosis and apoptosis?
A. Necrosis involves cell swelling and lysis, while apoptosis involves cell shrinkage and fragmentation.
B. Apoptosis causes significant inflammation, while necrosis does not.
C. Necrosis is programmed, while apoptosis is accidental.
D. Apoptosis only occurs in diseased states.
Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is characterized by cellular swelling and rupture (eliciting
inflammation), whereas apoptosis is programmed cell death characterized by shrinkage
and no inflammation.
|Maryville
1. A 55-year-old male with long-standing hypertension shows an increase in the
size of his left ventricular cardiomyocytes. This cellular adaptation is best
described as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells in response to increased
mechanical load or stress, common in cardiac and skeletal muscle which cannot undergo
mitosis.
2. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by the replacement of one mature
cell type by another, often seen in the airway of chronic smokers?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Neoplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Metaplasia is a reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another, such
as the change from ciliated columnar epithelium to stratified squamous epithelium in
smokers.
,3. A biopsy of the cervix reveals cells that are abnormal in size, shape, and
organization. This condition, which is often a precursor to cancer, is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Metaplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells and is frequently associated with neoplastic transformations.
4. What is the primary mechanism of cellular injury during hypoxia?
A. Increased ATP production
B. Decreased intracellular calcium
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Alkalosis of the cytoplasm
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to ATP depletion, which causes the Na+/K+ pump to fail,
resulting in sodium entering the cell and causing cellular swelling.
5. Ischemia-reperfusion injury is primarily caused by the generation of:
A. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)
B. Lactic acid
C. Potassium ions
D. Carbon dioxide
Answer: A
Rationale: Reperfusion injury occurs when oxygen is restored to ischemic tissues, leading
to the burst of reactive oxygen species that damage cell membranes and mitochondria.
, 6. Which type of necrosis is typically associated with hypoxic injury in the brain?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Answer: B
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids, leading to tissue softening.
7. A patient with tuberculosis has a lung lesion characterized by a ‘cheese-like’
appearance. This is an example of:
A. Fibrinoid necrosis
B. Gangrenous necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is a combination of coagulative and liquefactive necrosis,
commonly seen in tuberculous pulmonary infection.
8. What is the key difference between necrosis and apoptosis?
A. Necrosis involves cell swelling and lysis, while apoptosis involves cell shrinkage and fragmentation.
B. Apoptosis causes significant inflammation, while necrosis does not.
C. Necrosis is programmed, while apoptosis is accidental.
D. Apoptosis only occurs in diseased states.
Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is characterized by cellular swelling and rupture (eliciting
inflammation), whereas apoptosis is programmed cell death characterized by shrinkage
and no inflammation.
