ASCP Certification – Complete Practice Questions with Answers 2025
ASCP Cytogenetics (CG) Certification.
Complete Practice Questions with Answers.
1) Which of the following chemicals ARE intercalating agents?
a) Quinacrine
b) Dihydrochloride
c) Ethidium bromide
d) Actinomycin
ANSWER-D
2) What is the best agent to use against mycoplasma?
ANSWER - BM cyclin - a combination of two antibiotics (tiamulin and minocycline) that
effectively targets mycoplasma growth
3) For successful harvest, each new batch of hypotonic solution should be evaluated
by: ANSWER- Comparing the new lot to a lot already in use
4) Colagenase, pronase, and trypsin are:
ANSWER- Proteolytic enzymes - break down tissues into single-cell suspensions
5) When harvesting peripheral blood cultures, asceptic technique no longer matters
following incubation with:
ANSWER- Colcemid - mitotic spindle poison that halts cells at metaphase
6) Samples that arrive at the cytogenetics lab should first be:
ANSWER- Logged in to the system
7) Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates which type of cells into division?
ANSWER- T-cell lymphocytes
8) To avoid culture failure, monitoring reagents is crucial. When logging a culture
failure, what is the MOST important to document?
ANSWER- Expiration dates of reagents used
9) Which type of microscope is used when cleaning a CVS (chorionic villus) sample?
ANSWER-Dissection
10) Which cell type is most problematic if found in a CVS (chorionic villus) sample?
ANSWER-Decidua (maternal tissue)
1
, ASCP Certification – Complete Practice Questions with Answers 2025
11) When looking at a slide under a phase contrast scope and a lot of cytoplasm is still
seen around the mets, what is the most likely cause?
ANSWER- Inappropriate slide drying time
12) What will help prevent microbial contamination and cross contamination of
cultures? ANSWER- Asceptic technique
13) When there are not enough mets to complete the study of a patient/case, what needs
to be done next?
ANSWER- Prepare additional slides from any remaining sample
14) When looking at a dropped slide under a phase scope and mets are very spread out
and sparse, what could help fix the issue?
ANSWER- Increasing the drying time by using warm slides
15) What is true of an inverted microscope?
ANSWER- The objectives are beneath the stage
16) When verifying if a specimen is appropriate for cytogenetic analysis, what is the
MOST important data to accompany the specimen?
ANSWER- Reason for referral
17) Which type of specimen should be requested for a cytogenetic analysis for turner
syndrome?
ANSWER-Heparinized peripheral blood stored at room temperature (NOT FROZEN)
18) A blood sample can be used to study the cytogenetics of a malignancy only if:
ANSWER-Dividing leukemic cells are present in circulation
19) All of the cultures in a CO2 incubator failed, what aspects of the incubator are
important to monitor to assess the source of the problem?
ANSWER- Temperature, CO2 level, and Humidity level
20) The most important factor affecting the quality of chromosomes viewed under a
phase contrast scope is:
ANSWER- Slide drying after the cells have been dropped
21) What is the modal number (default number of chromosomes in a cell) for a Down
syndrome translocation carrier?
ANSWER-: 45
22) What is the best tissue to use for both a good success rate and abnormality detection
in spontaneous abortion miscarriages?
ANSWER- Chorionic villi
2
ASCP Cytogenetics (CG) Certification.
Complete Practice Questions with Answers.
1) Which of the following chemicals ARE intercalating agents?
a) Quinacrine
b) Dihydrochloride
c) Ethidium bromide
d) Actinomycin
ANSWER-D
2) What is the best agent to use against mycoplasma?
ANSWER - BM cyclin - a combination of two antibiotics (tiamulin and minocycline) that
effectively targets mycoplasma growth
3) For successful harvest, each new batch of hypotonic solution should be evaluated
by: ANSWER- Comparing the new lot to a lot already in use
4) Colagenase, pronase, and trypsin are:
ANSWER- Proteolytic enzymes - break down tissues into single-cell suspensions
5) When harvesting peripheral blood cultures, asceptic technique no longer matters
following incubation with:
ANSWER- Colcemid - mitotic spindle poison that halts cells at metaphase
6) Samples that arrive at the cytogenetics lab should first be:
ANSWER- Logged in to the system
7) Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates which type of cells into division?
ANSWER- T-cell lymphocytes
8) To avoid culture failure, monitoring reagents is crucial. When logging a culture
failure, what is the MOST important to document?
ANSWER- Expiration dates of reagents used
9) Which type of microscope is used when cleaning a CVS (chorionic villus) sample?
ANSWER-Dissection
10) Which cell type is most problematic if found in a CVS (chorionic villus) sample?
ANSWER-Decidua (maternal tissue)
1
, ASCP Certification – Complete Practice Questions with Answers 2025
11) When looking at a slide under a phase contrast scope and a lot of cytoplasm is still
seen around the mets, what is the most likely cause?
ANSWER- Inappropriate slide drying time
12) What will help prevent microbial contamination and cross contamination of
cultures? ANSWER- Asceptic technique
13) When there are not enough mets to complete the study of a patient/case, what needs
to be done next?
ANSWER- Prepare additional slides from any remaining sample
14) When looking at a dropped slide under a phase scope and mets are very spread out
and sparse, what could help fix the issue?
ANSWER- Increasing the drying time by using warm slides
15) What is true of an inverted microscope?
ANSWER- The objectives are beneath the stage
16) When verifying if a specimen is appropriate for cytogenetic analysis, what is the
MOST important data to accompany the specimen?
ANSWER- Reason for referral
17) Which type of specimen should be requested for a cytogenetic analysis for turner
syndrome?
ANSWER-Heparinized peripheral blood stored at room temperature (NOT FROZEN)
18) A blood sample can be used to study the cytogenetics of a malignancy only if:
ANSWER-Dividing leukemic cells are present in circulation
19) All of the cultures in a CO2 incubator failed, what aspects of the incubator are
important to monitor to assess the source of the problem?
ANSWER- Temperature, CO2 level, and Humidity level
20) The most important factor affecting the quality of chromosomes viewed under a
phase contrast scope is:
ANSWER- Slide drying after the cells have been dropped
21) What is the modal number (default number of chromosomes in a cell) for a Down
syndrome translocation carrier?
ANSWER-: 45
22) What is the best tissue to use for both a good success rate and abnormality detection
in spontaneous abortion miscarriages?
ANSWER- Chorionic villi
2
