D236 Pathophysiology Week 1 Study Guide Comprehensive Quiz 2026
|WGU
1. A patient has been bedridden for several weeks, resulting in a decrease in the
size of their calf muscles. This cellular adaptation is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease or shrinkage in cellular size, often caused by disuse,
denervation, or decreased blood flow.
2. The increase in the size of the heart in response to high blood pressure is an
example of:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, and consequently the organ,
often caused by increased workload or hormonal stimulation.
,3. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the number of
cells resulting from an increased rate of cellular division?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue.
4. A smoker’s biopsy shows that the normal ciliated columnar epithelial cells of
the airway have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells. This is
called:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
less mature cell type.
5. Abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of mature cells, often
referred to as ‘atypical hyperplasia’, is called:
A. Metaplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in cell size, shape, and organization, and
is often considered a precursor to cancer.
, 6. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Free radicals
C. Hypoxia
D. Genetic factors
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
7. The loss of blood supply to a specific body part, which reduces oxygen
delivery, is specifically called:
A. Anoxia
B. Infarction
C. Hypoxemia
D. Ischemia
Answer: D
Rationale: Ischemia is the reduced blood supply to a tissue, which causes hypoxia.
8. Which of the following molecules can cause cellular injury by damaging cell
membranes and DNA through oxidative stress?
A. Antioxidants
B. Free radicals
C. ATP
D. Glucose
Answer: B
Rationale: Free radicals are highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons that can cause
oxidative stress and damage cell structures.
|WGU
1. A patient has been bedridden for several weeks, resulting in a decrease in the
size of their calf muscles. This cellular adaptation is known as:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease or shrinkage in cellular size, often caused by disuse,
denervation, or decreased blood flow.
2. The increase in the size of the heart in response to high blood pressure is an
example of:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in the size of cells, and consequently the organ,
often caused by increased workload or hormonal stimulation.
,3. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in the number of
cells resulting from an increased rate of cellular division?
A. Dysplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Hypertrophy
D. Hyperplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue.
4. A smoker’s biopsy shows that the normal ciliated columnar epithelial cells of
the airway have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells. This is
called:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Dysplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: D
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
less mature cell type.
5. Abnormal changes in the size, shape, and organization of mature cells, often
referred to as ‘atypical hyperplasia’, is called:
A. Metaplasia
B. Atrophy
C. Dysplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: C
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in cell size, shape, and organization, and
is often considered a precursor to cancer.
, 6. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Chemical agents
B. Free radicals
C. Hypoxia
D. Genetic factors
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the single most common cause of
cellular injury.
7. The loss of blood supply to a specific body part, which reduces oxygen
delivery, is specifically called:
A. Anoxia
B. Infarction
C. Hypoxemia
D. Ischemia
Answer: D
Rationale: Ischemia is the reduced blood supply to a tissue, which causes hypoxia.
8. Which of the following molecules can cause cellular injury by damaging cell
membranes and DNA through oxidative stress?
A. Antioxidants
B. Free radicals
C. ATP
D. Glucose
Answer: B
Rationale: Free radicals are highly reactive atoms with unpaired electrons that can cause
oxidative stress and damage cell structures.
