NR-283 / NR283: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY | CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY | 100%
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
Q: What is the difference between etiology and pathogenesis?
ANSWER Etiology is the cause of the disease, while pathogenesis is the
development of the disease.
Q: Define "hypertrophy."
ANSWER An increase in the size of cells (and consequently the organ),
e.g., left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension.
Q: Define "hyperplasia."
ANSWER An increase in the number of cells, e.g., endometrial
hyperplasia.
Q: Define "atrophy."
ANSWER A decrease in the size of cells, e.g., muscle atrophy from disuse.
Q: Define "metaplasia."
ANSWER The reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
e.g., smokers' ciliated columnar cells turning into stratified squamous
cells.
Q: Define "dysplasia."
ANSWER Abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells; often a precursor to cancer.
Q: What is "apoptosis"?
ANSWER Programmed cell death; a normal, controlled process.
Q: What is "necrosis"?
ANSWER Unplanned cell death caused by injury, disease, or lack of blood
supply (ischemia).
Q: What are the four cardinal signs of inflammation?
, ANSWER Rubor (redness), Tumor (swelling), Calor (heat), Dolor (pain).
Functio laesa (loss of function) is sometimes added as the 5th.
Q: What is the primary cellular mediator of the inflammatory response?
ANSWER The mast cell (releases histamine).
Q: What is the difference between exudate and transudate?
ANSWER Exudate is protein-rich fluid caused by increased vascular
permeability (infection/inflammation); Transudate is fluid with low
protein content caused by hydrostatic pressure changes (heart failure).
Q: What is the purpose of histamine during inflammation?
ANSWER Vasodilation and increased vascular permeability.
Q: What is "chemotaxis"?
ANSWER The chemical attraction of phagocytes
(neutrophils/macrophages) to the site of inflammation.
Q: What is the difference between acute and chronic inflammation?
ANSWER Acute is immediate, short-term (neutrophils dominant);
Chronic is long-lasting (lymphocytes/macrophages dominant) and
involves tissue destruction and repair attempts.
Q: What is "granulomatous inflammation"?
ANSWER A form of chronic inflammation characterized by granulomas
(walling off agents the body cannot kill), seen in TB or sarcoidosis.
Q: What is the "systemic inflammatory response syndrome" (SIRS)?
ANSWER An exaggerated inflammatory response affecting the whole
body, often leading to shock.
Q: What is the difference between humoral and cell-mediated immunity?
ANSWER Humoral involves B-cells and antibodies; Cell-mediated
involves T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells) attacking infected cells directly.
Q: What is an "antigen"?
ANSWER A substance capable of inducing an immune response.
Q: What is an "antibody" (immunoglobulin)?
, ANSWER A protein produced by plasma cells (B-cells) to bind to specific
antigens.
Q: Which antibody is found primarily in mucosal secretions (breast milk,
saliva)?
ANSWER IgA.
Q: Which antibody crosses the placenta to provide passive immunity to
the fetus?
ANSWER IgG.
Q: Which antibody is involved in allergic reactions and parasitic
infections?
ANSWER IgE.
Q: What is "Type I Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Immediate hypersensitivity (Anaphylaxis), mediated by IgE and
mast cells (e.g., bee stings, peanuts).
Q: What is "Type II Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Cytotoxic hypersensitivity, where antibodies attack cell
surfaces (e.g., Graves' disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Hemolytic anemia).
Q: What is "Type III Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Immune complex mediated (e.g., Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Serum sickness).
Q: What is "Type IV Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Delayed-type hypersensitivity, mediated by T-cells (e.g., TB
skin test, contact dermatitis, transplant rejection).
Q: What is "immunodeficiency"?
ANSWER A failure of the immune system to mount an adequate response
(can be primary like HIV, or secondary like chemotherapy).
Q: What is "autoimmunity"?
ANSWER A breakdown of tolerance where the immune system attacks
self-antigens.
Q: What is "alloimmunity"?
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
Q: What is the difference between etiology and pathogenesis?
ANSWER Etiology is the cause of the disease, while pathogenesis is the
development of the disease.
Q: Define "hypertrophy."
ANSWER An increase in the size of cells (and consequently the organ),
e.g., left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension.
Q: Define "hyperplasia."
ANSWER An increase in the number of cells, e.g., endometrial
hyperplasia.
Q: Define "atrophy."
ANSWER A decrease in the size of cells, e.g., muscle atrophy from disuse.
Q: Define "metaplasia."
ANSWER The reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
e.g., smokers' ciliated columnar cells turning into stratified squamous
cells.
Q: Define "dysplasia."
ANSWER Abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells; often a precursor to cancer.
Q: What is "apoptosis"?
ANSWER Programmed cell death; a normal, controlled process.
Q: What is "necrosis"?
ANSWER Unplanned cell death caused by injury, disease, or lack of blood
supply (ischemia).
Q: What are the four cardinal signs of inflammation?
, ANSWER Rubor (redness), Tumor (swelling), Calor (heat), Dolor (pain).
Functio laesa (loss of function) is sometimes added as the 5th.
Q: What is the primary cellular mediator of the inflammatory response?
ANSWER The mast cell (releases histamine).
Q: What is the difference between exudate and transudate?
ANSWER Exudate is protein-rich fluid caused by increased vascular
permeability (infection/inflammation); Transudate is fluid with low
protein content caused by hydrostatic pressure changes (heart failure).
Q: What is the purpose of histamine during inflammation?
ANSWER Vasodilation and increased vascular permeability.
Q: What is "chemotaxis"?
ANSWER The chemical attraction of phagocytes
(neutrophils/macrophages) to the site of inflammation.
Q: What is the difference between acute and chronic inflammation?
ANSWER Acute is immediate, short-term (neutrophils dominant);
Chronic is long-lasting (lymphocytes/macrophages dominant) and
involves tissue destruction and repair attempts.
Q: What is "granulomatous inflammation"?
ANSWER A form of chronic inflammation characterized by granulomas
(walling off agents the body cannot kill), seen in TB or sarcoidosis.
Q: What is the "systemic inflammatory response syndrome" (SIRS)?
ANSWER An exaggerated inflammatory response affecting the whole
body, often leading to shock.
Q: What is the difference between humoral and cell-mediated immunity?
ANSWER Humoral involves B-cells and antibodies; Cell-mediated
involves T-cells (cytotoxic T-cells) attacking infected cells directly.
Q: What is an "antigen"?
ANSWER A substance capable of inducing an immune response.
Q: What is an "antibody" (immunoglobulin)?
, ANSWER A protein produced by plasma cells (B-cells) to bind to specific
antigens.
Q: Which antibody is found primarily in mucosal secretions (breast milk,
saliva)?
ANSWER IgA.
Q: Which antibody crosses the placenta to provide passive immunity to
the fetus?
ANSWER IgG.
Q: Which antibody is involved in allergic reactions and parasitic
infections?
ANSWER IgE.
Q: What is "Type I Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Immediate hypersensitivity (Anaphylaxis), mediated by IgE and
mast cells (e.g., bee stings, peanuts).
Q: What is "Type II Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Cytotoxic hypersensitivity, where antibodies attack cell
surfaces (e.g., Graves' disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Hemolytic anemia).
Q: What is "Type III Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Immune complex mediated (e.g., Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Serum sickness).
Q: What is "Type IV Hypersensitivity"?
ANSWER Delayed-type hypersensitivity, mediated by T-cells (e.g., TB
skin test, contact dermatitis, transplant rejection).
Q: What is "immunodeficiency"?
ANSWER A failure of the immune system to mount an adequate response
(can be primary like HIV, or secondary like chemotherapy).
Q: What is "autoimmunity"?
ANSWER A breakdown of tolerance where the immune system attacks
self-antigens.
Q: What is "alloimmunity"?
