NSG 3280 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
QUESTIONS - MOST RECENT EDITION 2026/2027
1. Q: What is the definition of pathophysiology? ANSWER The study of
functional changes in the body that result from disease or injury.
2. Q: What is atrophy? ANSWER A decrease in the size of cells, leading to a
reduction in tissue mass.
3. Q: What is hypertrophy? ANSWER An increase in the size of individual
cells, resulting in tissue enlargement.
4. Q: What is hyperplasia? ANSWER An increase in the number of cells in a
tissue.
5. Q: What is metaplasia? ANSWER The reversible replacement of one
mature cell type by another, often less specialized, cell type.
6. Q: What is dysplasia? ANSWER Disordered cellular growth that is often a
precursor to cancer.
7. Q: What is the difference between apoptosis and necrosis? ANSWER
Apoptosis is programmed, controlled cell death; necrosis is uncontrolled,
accidental cell death caused by injury.
8. Q: What is the primary trigger for the inflammatory response? ANSWER
Tissue injury or infection.
9. Q: What is the cellular adaptation to chronic hypoxia (low oxygen)?
ANSWER Hypertrophy (specifically in cardiac muscle) or increased
erythropoiesis (red blood cell production).
10.Q: What is the "window of reversibility" in cellular injury? ANSWER The
period during which injured cells can recover if the injurious stimulus is
removed.
,11.Q: What is the hallmark of cellular injury due to hypoxia? ANSWER
Depletion of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
12.Q: What are free radicals? ANSWER Unstable, highly reactive atoms or
molecules that can damage cellular components (lipids, proteins, DNA).
13.Q: What is the purpose of the sodium-potassium pump? ANSWER To
maintain the electrochemical gradient by pumping sodium out of the cell
and potassium into the cell.
14.Q: What happens to the sodium-potassium pump during cellular
hypoxia? ANSWER It fails, leading to sodium and water accumulation
inside the cell (cellular swelling).
15.Q: What is oncotic pressure? ANSWER The pressure exerted by proteins
(like albumin) in the blood vessels that pulls fluid into the vascular space.
16.Q: What is the difference between osmosis and diffusion? ANSWER
Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane;
diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of high concentration
to low concentration.
17.Q: What is active transport? ANSWER The movement of substances
against a concentration gradient, requiring energy (ATP).
18.Q: What is passive transport? ANSWER The movement of substances
down a concentration gradient without energy expenditure.
19.Q: What is the Golgi apparatus responsible for? ANSWER Packaging,
processing, and shipping proteins and lipids.
20.Q: What is the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) responsible for? ANSWER
Rough ER synthesizes proteins; Smooth ER synthesizes lipids and
detoxifies drugs.
21.Q: What is the function of lysosomes? ANSWER Digesting waste
materials and cellular debris.
22.Q: What is the function of mitochondria? ANSWER Producing ATP
(energy) via aerobic respiration.
23.Q: What is the definition of homeostasis? ANSWER The state of dynamic
equilibrium of the body's internal environment.
, 24.Q: What is the role of DNA in cell reproduction? ANSWER It contains the
genetic code necessary for protein synthesis and cell replication.
25.Q: What is aneuploidy? ANSWER An abnormal number of chromosomes
(e.g., Down syndrome is Trisomy 21).
26.Q: What is the first line of defense against infection? ANSWER Physical
and chemical barriers (skin, mucous membranes, cilia, stomach acid).
27.Q: What is the second line of defense? ANSWER Inflammatory response,
phagocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells.
28.Q: What is the third line of defense? ANSWER Adaptive (specific)
immunity: B cells (humoral) and T cells (cell-mediated).
29.Q: What are the cardinal signs of inflammation? ANSWER Redness
(rubor), Heat (calor), Swelling (tumor), Pain (dolor), and Loss of function
(functio laesa).
30.Q: What chemical mediators are released by mast cells during
inflammation? ANSWER Histamine, heparin, and leukotrienes.
31.Q: What is the primary effect of histamine? ANSWER Vasodilation and
increased vascular permeability.
32.Q: What is the function of neutrophils? ANSWER They are the first
responders to acute bacterial infection and perform phagocytosis.
33.Q: What is the function of macrophages? ANSWER They phagocytose
pathogens and dead cells and present antigens to T cells.
34.Q: What is the function of the complement system? ANSWER A group of
proteins that enhance phagocytosis, lyse pathogens directly, and
promote inflammation.
35.Q: What is the difference between humoral and cell-mediated
immunity? ANSWER Humoral involves B cells producing antibodies; Cell-
mediated involves T cells attacking infected or cancerous cells directly.
36.Q: What are antibodies produced by? ANSWER Plasma cells (derived
from B lymphocytes).
37.Q: What is an antigen? ANSWER A substance (usually a protein) that the
immune system recognizes as foreign and provokes an immune
response.
QUESTIONS - MOST RECENT EDITION 2026/2027
1. Q: What is the definition of pathophysiology? ANSWER The study of
functional changes in the body that result from disease or injury.
2. Q: What is atrophy? ANSWER A decrease in the size of cells, leading to a
reduction in tissue mass.
3. Q: What is hypertrophy? ANSWER An increase in the size of individual
cells, resulting in tissue enlargement.
4. Q: What is hyperplasia? ANSWER An increase in the number of cells in a
tissue.
5. Q: What is metaplasia? ANSWER The reversible replacement of one
mature cell type by another, often less specialized, cell type.
6. Q: What is dysplasia? ANSWER Disordered cellular growth that is often a
precursor to cancer.
7. Q: What is the difference between apoptosis and necrosis? ANSWER
Apoptosis is programmed, controlled cell death; necrosis is uncontrolled,
accidental cell death caused by injury.
8. Q: What is the primary trigger for the inflammatory response? ANSWER
Tissue injury or infection.
9. Q: What is the cellular adaptation to chronic hypoxia (low oxygen)?
ANSWER Hypertrophy (specifically in cardiac muscle) or increased
erythropoiesis (red blood cell production).
10.Q: What is the "window of reversibility" in cellular injury? ANSWER The
period during which injured cells can recover if the injurious stimulus is
removed.
,11.Q: What is the hallmark of cellular injury due to hypoxia? ANSWER
Depletion of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
12.Q: What are free radicals? ANSWER Unstable, highly reactive atoms or
molecules that can damage cellular components (lipids, proteins, DNA).
13.Q: What is the purpose of the sodium-potassium pump? ANSWER To
maintain the electrochemical gradient by pumping sodium out of the cell
and potassium into the cell.
14.Q: What happens to the sodium-potassium pump during cellular
hypoxia? ANSWER It fails, leading to sodium and water accumulation
inside the cell (cellular swelling).
15.Q: What is oncotic pressure? ANSWER The pressure exerted by proteins
(like albumin) in the blood vessels that pulls fluid into the vascular space.
16.Q: What is the difference between osmosis and diffusion? ANSWER
Osmosis is the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane;
diffusion is the movement of solutes from an area of high concentration
to low concentration.
17.Q: What is active transport? ANSWER The movement of substances
against a concentration gradient, requiring energy (ATP).
18.Q: What is passive transport? ANSWER The movement of substances
down a concentration gradient without energy expenditure.
19.Q: What is the Golgi apparatus responsible for? ANSWER Packaging,
processing, and shipping proteins and lipids.
20.Q: What is the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) responsible for? ANSWER
Rough ER synthesizes proteins; Smooth ER synthesizes lipids and
detoxifies drugs.
21.Q: What is the function of lysosomes? ANSWER Digesting waste
materials and cellular debris.
22.Q: What is the function of mitochondria? ANSWER Producing ATP
(energy) via aerobic respiration.
23.Q: What is the definition of homeostasis? ANSWER The state of dynamic
equilibrium of the body's internal environment.
, 24.Q: What is the role of DNA in cell reproduction? ANSWER It contains the
genetic code necessary for protein synthesis and cell replication.
25.Q: What is aneuploidy? ANSWER An abnormal number of chromosomes
(e.g., Down syndrome is Trisomy 21).
26.Q: What is the first line of defense against infection? ANSWER Physical
and chemical barriers (skin, mucous membranes, cilia, stomach acid).
27.Q: What is the second line of defense? ANSWER Inflammatory response,
phagocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells.
28.Q: What is the third line of defense? ANSWER Adaptive (specific)
immunity: B cells (humoral) and T cells (cell-mediated).
29.Q: What are the cardinal signs of inflammation? ANSWER Redness
(rubor), Heat (calor), Swelling (tumor), Pain (dolor), and Loss of function
(functio laesa).
30.Q: What chemical mediators are released by mast cells during
inflammation? ANSWER Histamine, heparin, and leukotrienes.
31.Q: What is the primary effect of histamine? ANSWER Vasodilation and
increased vascular permeability.
32.Q: What is the function of neutrophils? ANSWER They are the first
responders to acute bacterial infection and perform phagocytosis.
33.Q: What is the function of macrophages? ANSWER They phagocytose
pathogens and dead cells and present antigens to T cells.
34.Q: What is the function of the complement system? ANSWER A group of
proteins that enhance phagocytosis, lyse pathogens directly, and
promote inflammation.
35.Q: What is the difference between humoral and cell-mediated
immunity? ANSWER Humoral involves B cells producing antibodies; Cell-
mediated involves T cells attacking infected or cancerous cells directly.
36.Q: What are antibodies produced by? ANSWER Plasma cells (derived
from B lymphocytes).
37.Q: What is an antigen? ANSWER A substance (usually a protein) that the
immune system recognizes as foreign and provokes an immune
response.
