D236 Pathophysiology Exam 1 Study Guide 2026 |WGU
1. A patient is diagnosed with a decrease in muscle size due to lack of use after
being in a cast. What is this cellular adaptation called?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is the decrease or shrinkage in cellular size, often caused by disuse,
decreased blood supply, or loss of endocrine stimulation.
2. Which type of cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the
number of cells in an organ or tissue?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Neoplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells resulting from an increased
rate of cellular division.
,3. What is the primary difference between hypertrophy and hyperplasia?
A. Hypertrophy involves cell number, while hyperplasia involves cell size.
B. There is no difference between the two.
C. Hypertrophy is always pathological, while hyperplasia is always physiological.
D. Hypertrophy involves cell size, while hyperplasia involves cell number.
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells (and consequently the organ),
while hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells.
4. Which cellular adaptation is often considered a ‘precancerous’ change?
A. Metaplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells and is often a precursor to cancer.
5. A smoker’s lung tissue shows a replacement of normal ciliated columnar
epithelium with stratified squamous epithelium. This is an example of:
A. Metaplasia
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
less mature or different cell type, often due to chronic irritation.
, 6. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Hypoxia
C. Free radicals
D. Infectious agents
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
7. Which process results in the swelling of the cell due to the failure of the
Na+/K+ pump during hypoxic injury?
A. Oncosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Autophagy
D. Pyrexis
Answer: A
Rationale: Oncosis (hydropic degeneration) occurs when ATP levels drop, causing the
sodium-potassium pump to fail, leading to an accumulation of intracellular sodium and
water.
8. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain as a result of ischemic
injury?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Fat necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
1. A patient is diagnosed with a decrease in muscle size due to lack of use after
being in a cast. What is this cellular adaptation called?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is the decrease or shrinkage in cellular size, often caused by disuse,
decreased blood supply, or loss of endocrine stimulation.
2. Which type of cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the
number of cells in an organ or tissue?
A. Dysplasia
B. Hyperplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Neoplasia
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells resulting from an increased
rate of cellular division.
,3. What is the primary difference between hypertrophy and hyperplasia?
A. Hypertrophy involves cell number, while hyperplasia involves cell size.
B. There is no difference between the two.
C. Hypertrophy is always pathological, while hyperplasia is always physiological.
D. Hypertrophy involves cell size, while hyperplasia involves cell number.
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells (and consequently the organ),
while hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells.
4. Which cellular adaptation is often considered a ‘precancerous’ change?
A. Metaplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of
mature cells and is often a precursor to cancer.
5. A smoker’s lung tissue shows a replacement of normal ciliated columnar
epithelium with stratified squamous epithelium. This is an example of:
A. Metaplasia
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
less mature or different cell type, often due to chronic irritation.
, 6. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Hypoxia
C. Free radicals
D. Infectious agents
Answer: B
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
7. Which process results in the swelling of the cell due to the failure of the
Na+/K+ pump during hypoxic injury?
A. Oncosis
B. Apoptosis
C. Autophagy
D. Pyrexis
Answer: A
Rationale: Oncosis (hydropic degeneration) occurs when ATP levels drop, causing the
sodium-potassium pump to fail, leading to an accumulation of intracellular sodium and
water.
8. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain as a result of ischemic
injury?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Fat necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Liquefactive necrosis
Answer: D
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis occurs in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive hydrolytic enzymes and lipids.
