1
Pathophysiology Actual Exam 1 South
College Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY & DEATH — Questions 1-10]
Q1: A patient has been immobilized in a full leg cast for 8 weeks. Upon removal, the nurse notes
that the affected leg has significantly reduced muscle mass compared to the other leg. This
cellular change is best described as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy [CORRECT]
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, often resulting from disuse, denervation, or reduced
blood supply. In this case, the immobilization led to disuse atrophy where muscle fibers shrink to
conserve energy. Hypertrophy (A) is an increase in size. Hyperplasia (B) is an increase in
number. Metaplasia (D) is a change in cell type.
Q2: A 40-year-old patient with untreated hypertension presents with left ventricular wall
thickening on an echocardiogram. The cardiac muscle cells have increased in size to generate
greater force against increased resistance. This adaptation is known as:
A. Hypertrophy [CORRECT]
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Atrophy
,2
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of individual cells, often stimulated by
increased workload or hormonal stimulation. In the heart, chronic pressure overload
(hypertension) forces cardiomyocytes to enlarge (hypertrophy) to maintain cardiac output,
though it eventually leads to failure.
Q3: A long-term smoker undergoes a bronchoscopy, and the biopsy reveals that the normal
ciliated columnar epithelium has been replaced by stratified squamous epithelium. This
reversible cellular change is known as:
A. Anaplasia
C. Metaplasia [CORRECT]
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another,
often in response to chronic irritation or stress. In smokers, the constant irritation by tobacco
smoke transforms the protective ciliated epithelium into more durable squamous epithelium,
which lacks cilia and impairs mucociliary clearance.
Q4: A Pap smear result returns showing disordered growth, pleomorphic cells, and
hyperchromatic nuclei in the cervical epithelium. This cellular change is most consistent with:
A. Dysplasia [CORRECT]
B. Anaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Correct Answer: A
, 3
Rationale: Dysplasia is a deranged cell growth characterized by loss of uniformity,
pleomorphism (variation in size and shape), and hyperchromatic nuclei (darkly stained DNA). It
is often a pre-neoplastic change (like Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) that can revert or
progress to cancer.
Q5: During a myocardial infarction (heart attack), the ischemic cardiac myocytes die and trigger
an inflammatory response. The dead cells swell, burst, and release their contents, leading to
inflammation. This type of cell death is:
A. Necrosis [CORRECT]
B. Apoptosis
C. Pyknosis
D. Karyolysis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is unprogrammed cell death caused by external factors like hypoxia, toxins,
or trauma. It is characterized by cell swelling (oncosis), membrane rupture, and inflammation
because of the release of intracellular enzymes. Apoptosis (B) is programmed, neat cell death
without inflammation.
Q6: A patient suffers an ischemic stroke. An autopsy days later reveals the brain tissue in the
infarcted area has liquefied into a soft, liquid mass. This specific type of necrosis is:
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs when cells are digested by their own enzymes
(autolysis), common in the brain (CNS) because neural tissue is rich in lysosomal enzymes and
has little structural stroma. The result is a liquid, pus-like cavity. Coagulative (A) is typical of
heart/kidney. Caseous (B) is TB. Fat necrosis (C) is pancreatitis.
Pathophysiology Actual Exam 1 South
College Actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Exam-Style Questions | 100%
Verified – Detailed Rationales – Pass
Guaranteed – A+ Graded
[SECTION 1: CELLULAR ADAPTATION, INJURY & DEATH — Questions 1-10]
Q1: A patient has been immobilized in a full leg cast for 8 weeks. Upon removal, the nurse notes
that the affected leg has significantly reduced muscle mass compared to the other leg. This
cellular change is best described as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy [CORRECT]
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, often resulting from disuse, denervation, or reduced
blood supply. In this case, the immobilization led to disuse atrophy where muscle fibers shrink to
conserve energy. Hypertrophy (A) is an increase in size. Hyperplasia (B) is an increase in
number. Metaplasia (D) is a change in cell type.
Q2: A 40-year-old patient with untreated hypertension presents with left ventricular wall
thickening on an echocardiogram. The cardiac muscle cells have increased in size to generate
greater force against increased resistance. This adaptation is known as:
A. Hypertrophy [CORRECT]
B. Hyperplasia
C. Dysplasia
D. Atrophy
,2
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of individual cells, often stimulated by
increased workload or hormonal stimulation. In the heart, chronic pressure overload
(hypertension) forces cardiomyocytes to enlarge (hypertrophy) to maintain cardiac output,
though it eventually leads to failure.
Q3: A long-term smoker undergoes a bronchoscopy, and the biopsy reveals that the normal
ciliated columnar epithelium has been replaced by stratified squamous epithelium. This
reversible cellular change is known as:
A. Anaplasia
C. Metaplasia [CORRECT]
C. Dysplasia
D. Hyperplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one differentiated cell type with another,
often in response to chronic irritation or stress. In smokers, the constant irritation by tobacco
smoke transforms the protective ciliated epithelium into more durable squamous epithelium,
which lacks cilia and impairs mucociliary clearance.
Q4: A Pap smear result returns showing disordered growth, pleomorphic cells, and
hyperchromatic nuclei in the cervical epithelium. This cellular change is most consistent with:
A. Dysplasia [CORRECT]
B. Anaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Correct Answer: A
, 3
Rationale: Dysplasia is a deranged cell growth characterized by loss of uniformity,
pleomorphism (variation in size and shape), and hyperchromatic nuclei (darkly stained DNA). It
is often a pre-neoplastic change (like Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia) that can revert or
progress to cancer.
Q5: During a myocardial infarction (heart attack), the ischemic cardiac myocytes die and trigger
an inflammatory response. The dead cells swell, burst, and release their contents, leading to
inflammation. This type of cell death is:
A. Necrosis [CORRECT]
B. Apoptosis
C. Pyknosis
D. Karyolysis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is unprogrammed cell death caused by external factors like hypoxia, toxins,
or trauma. It is characterized by cell swelling (oncosis), membrane rupture, and inflammation
because of the release of intracellular enzymes. Apoptosis (B) is programmed, neat cell death
without inflammation.
Q6: A patient suffers an ischemic stroke. An autopsy days later reveals the brain tissue in the
infarcted area has liquefied into a soft, liquid mass. This specific type of necrosis is:
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs when cells are digested by their own enzymes
(autolysis), common in the brain (CNS) because neural tissue is rich in lysosomal enzymes and
has little structural stroma. The result is a liquid, pus-like cavity. Coagulative (A) is typical of
heart/kidney. Caseous (B) is TB. Fat necrosis (C) is pancreatitis.
