WALDEN UNIVERSITY NURS 6501 ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
◉ What are the eight specialized cellular functions? Answer:
movement, conductivity, metabolic absorption, secretion, excretion,
respiration, reproduction, and communication
◉ What are the three general components of an eukaryotic cell?
Answer: the plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, and the intracellular
organelles.
◉ What causes the release of lysosomal enzemes? Answer: Cellular
injury causing cellular self-digestion
◉ What is the location and function of the nucleus? Answer: the
largest membrane-bound organelle and is found usually in the cell's
center. The chief functions of the nucleus are cell division and
control of genetic information.
◉ What is Cytoplasm? Answer: an aqueous solution (cytosol) that
fills the space between the nucleus and the plasma membrane.
,◉ What is the endoplasmic reticulum and what does it specialize in?
Answer: a network of tubular channels (cisternae) that extend
throughout the outer nuclear membrane. It specializes in the
synthesis and transport of protein and lipid components of most of
the organelles
◉ What is the Golgi complex and what does it do? Answer: a
network of smooth membranes and vesicles located near the
nucleus. The Golgi complex is responsible for processing and
packaging proteins into secretory vesicles
◉ What are lysosomes and what do they do? Answer: saclike
structures that originate from the Golgi complex and contain
digestive enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for digesting
most cellular substances to their basic form, such as amino acids,
fatty acids, and carbohydrates
◉ What are peroxisomes? Answer: involved in the production and
breakdown of hydrogen peroxide
◉ Importance of proteins in disease Answer: The major workhorses
of the cell, if misfolded they can cause diseases
◉ What are mitochondria responsible for? Answer: . Mitochondria
contain the metabolic machinery necessary for cellular energy
metabolism (Makes ATP).
, ◉ What is the cytoskeleton? Answer: the "bone and muscle" of the
cell. The internal skeleton is composed of a network of protein
filaments, including microtubules and actin filaments
(microfilaments).
◉ What is the plasma membrane? Answer: encloses the cell and, by
controlling the movement of substances across it, exerts a powerful
influence on metabolic pathways
◉ What is signal transduction? Answer: The transfer of molecular
signals from the exterior to the interior of a cell. If not done
apoptosis occurs
◉ What is protein regulation and what is it composed of? Answer:
protein homeostasis and is defined by the proteostasis network.
This network is composed of ribosomes (makers), chaperones
(helpers), and protein breakdown or proteolytic systems.
Malfunction of these systems is associated with disease.
◉ What do protein receptors do? Answer: on the plasma membrane,
enable the cell to interact with other cells and with extracellular
substances
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
◉ What are the eight specialized cellular functions? Answer:
movement, conductivity, metabolic absorption, secretion, excretion,
respiration, reproduction, and communication
◉ What are the three general components of an eukaryotic cell?
Answer: the plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, and the intracellular
organelles.
◉ What causes the release of lysosomal enzemes? Answer: Cellular
injury causing cellular self-digestion
◉ What is the location and function of the nucleus? Answer: the
largest membrane-bound organelle and is found usually in the cell's
center. The chief functions of the nucleus are cell division and
control of genetic information.
◉ What is Cytoplasm? Answer: an aqueous solution (cytosol) that
fills the space between the nucleus and the plasma membrane.
,◉ What is the endoplasmic reticulum and what does it specialize in?
Answer: a network of tubular channels (cisternae) that extend
throughout the outer nuclear membrane. It specializes in the
synthesis and transport of protein and lipid components of most of
the organelles
◉ What is the Golgi complex and what does it do? Answer: a
network of smooth membranes and vesicles located near the
nucleus. The Golgi complex is responsible for processing and
packaging proteins into secretory vesicles
◉ What are lysosomes and what do they do? Answer: saclike
structures that originate from the Golgi complex and contain
digestive enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for digesting
most cellular substances to their basic form, such as amino acids,
fatty acids, and carbohydrates
◉ What are peroxisomes? Answer: involved in the production and
breakdown of hydrogen peroxide
◉ Importance of proteins in disease Answer: The major workhorses
of the cell, if misfolded they can cause diseases
◉ What are mitochondria responsible for? Answer: . Mitochondria
contain the metabolic machinery necessary for cellular energy
metabolism (Makes ATP).
, ◉ What is the cytoskeleton? Answer: the "bone and muscle" of the
cell. The internal skeleton is composed of a network of protein
filaments, including microtubules and actin filaments
(microfilaments).
◉ What is the plasma membrane? Answer: encloses the cell and, by
controlling the movement of substances across it, exerts a powerful
influence on metabolic pathways
◉ What is signal transduction? Answer: The transfer of molecular
signals from the exterior to the interior of a cell. If not done
apoptosis occurs
◉ What is protein regulation and what is it composed of? Answer:
protein homeostasis and is defined by the proteostasis network.
This network is composed of ribosomes (makers), chaperones
(helpers), and protein breakdown or proteolytic systems.
Malfunction of these systems is associated with disease.
◉ What do protein receptors do? Answer: on the plasma membrane,
enable the cell to interact with other cells and with extracellular
substances
