South College Patho Exam 1
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1. What is oxidative phosphorylation?
A. Energy (ATP) made without oxygen
B. Energy (ATP) made with oxygen
C. Buildup of lactic acid in muscle
D. A form of cell death
Answer: B
Rationale: Oxidative phosphorylation is the aerobic process that uses oxygen in the electron
transport chain to generate ATP efficiently.
2. What is substrate phosphorylation?
A. Energy (ATP) made with oxygen
B. Energy (ATP) made without oxygen (anaerobic); leads to lactic acid buildup and disrupts
electrolyte/body function
C. The process of cell adaptation to chronic hypoxia
D. A form of programmed cell death
Answer: B
Rationale: Substrate-level (anaerobic) phosphorylation produces ATP without oxygen, but as a
byproduct it generates lactic acid, which can disturb electrolyte balance and normal cellular
function.
,---
3. What is atrophy?
A. Cell adaptation involving an increase in cell size
B. Cell adaptation involving a decrease in cell size
C. Cell adaptation involving an increase in cell number
D. Cell death following injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, which can be physiological (e.g., thymus gland
shrinkage during puberty) or pathological (e.g., muscle atrophy from disuse).
4. Which is an example of physiological atrophy?
A. Muscle wasting from lack of use
B. Decrease in size of the thymus gland during puberty
C. Enlarged heart from chronic hypertension
D. Excessive endometrial bleeding
Answer: B
Rationale: Thymus involution during puberty is a normal, expected (physiological) atrophic
process, unlike pathological atrophy caused by disuse or disease.
5. What is hypertrophy?
A. A decrease in cell size
B. An increase in cell size, caused by increased workload
C. An increase in cell number
D. A change in cell type
Answer: B
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in individual cell size, typically triggered by increased
functional demand or workload on the cell/tissue.
6. Which best describes physiological hypertrophy?
A. New blood vessels are formed, with increased blood flow (e.g., muscle building at the gym,
increased breast/uterine tissue during pregnancy)
B. No new blood vessels form, with decreased blood flow
C. Always results in a less effective, enlarged heart
D. Always pathological in nature
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological hypertrophy is accompanied by new vessel formation and increased
blood supply to support the larger, more metabolically active tissue as seen in exercise-induced
muscle growth or pregnancy-related tissue growth.
7. Which best describes pathological hypertrophy?
A. New vessels form to support increased blood flow
B. No new vessels form, resulting in decreased blood flow (e.g., an enlarged heart that works
less effectively)
C. Only occurs in skeletal muscle
D. Always improves organ function
Answer: B
Rationale: In pathological hypertrophy, the increase in cell size is not matched by adequate new
vessel growth, so blood supply becomes relatively insufficient as seen in an enlarged heart
8. What is hyperplasia?
A. An increase in cell size
B. An increase in the number of cells
C. A decrease in the number of cells
, D. A change from one cell type to another
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is a cell adaptation defined by an increase in cell number, distinct from
hypertrophy (increase in size).
9. Which is an example of physiological hyperplasia?
A. Excessive endometrial bleeding
B. Compensatory regeneration of the liver or skin, or hormonal growth of the endometrial lining
C. Cancerous tumor growth
D. Muscle atrophy from disuse
Answer: B
Rationale: Physiological hyperplasia occurs in normal processes such as organ regeneration
(liver, skin) or hormone-driven tissue growth (endometrial lining during the menstrual cycle).
10. Which is an example of pathological hyperplasia?
A. Liver regeneration after partial resection
B. Excess growth of the endometrial lining causing excessive bleeding
C. Muscle growth from exercise
D. Thymus involution during puberty
Answer: B
Rationale: When hyperplasia becomes excessive and uncontrolled such as overgrowth of the
endometrial lining leading to abnormal bleeding it becomes a pathological process rather than
a normal physiological response.
11. What is dysplasia?
A. A normal, reversible cell adaptation
Comprehensive Resource To Help You Ace 2026-2027
Exams Includes Frequently Tested Questions With
ELABORATED 100% Correct COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Guaranteed Pass First Attempt!! Current Update!!
Instant Download Pdf!!
1. What is oxidative phosphorylation?
A. Energy (ATP) made without oxygen
B. Energy (ATP) made with oxygen
C. Buildup of lactic acid in muscle
D. A form of cell death
Answer: B
Rationale: Oxidative phosphorylation is the aerobic process that uses oxygen in the electron
transport chain to generate ATP efficiently.
2. What is substrate phosphorylation?
A. Energy (ATP) made with oxygen
B. Energy (ATP) made without oxygen (anaerobic); leads to lactic acid buildup and disrupts
electrolyte/body function
C. The process of cell adaptation to chronic hypoxia
D. A form of programmed cell death
Answer: B
Rationale: Substrate-level (anaerobic) phosphorylation produces ATP without oxygen, but as a
byproduct it generates lactic acid, which can disturb electrolyte balance and normal cellular
function.
,---
3. What is atrophy?
A. Cell adaptation involving an increase in cell size
B. Cell adaptation involving a decrease in cell size
C. Cell adaptation involving an increase in cell number
D. Cell death following injury
Answer: B
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size, which can be physiological (e.g., thymus gland
shrinkage during puberty) or pathological (e.g., muscle atrophy from disuse).
4. Which is an example of physiological atrophy?
A. Muscle wasting from lack of use
B. Decrease in size of the thymus gland during puberty
C. Enlarged heart from chronic hypertension
D. Excessive endometrial bleeding
Answer: B
Rationale: Thymus involution during puberty is a normal, expected (physiological) atrophic
process, unlike pathological atrophy caused by disuse or disease.
5. What is hypertrophy?
A. A decrease in cell size
B. An increase in cell size, caused by increased workload
C. An increase in cell number
D. A change in cell type
Answer: B
,Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in individual cell size, typically triggered by increased
functional demand or workload on the cell/tissue.
6. Which best describes physiological hypertrophy?
A. New blood vessels are formed, with increased blood flow (e.g., muscle building at the gym,
increased breast/uterine tissue during pregnancy)
B. No new blood vessels form, with decreased blood flow
C. Always results in a less effective, enlarged heart
D. Always pathological in nature
Answer: A
Rationale: Physiological hypertrophy is accompanied by new vessel formation and increased
blood supply to support the larger, more metabolically active tissue as seen in exercise-induced
muscle growth or pregnancy-related tissue growth.
7. Which best describes pathological hypertrophy?
A. New vessels form to support increased blood flow
B. No new vessels form, resulting in decreased blood flow (e.g., an enlarged heart that works
less effectively)
C. Only occurs in skeletal muscle
D. Always improves organ function
Answer: B
Rationale: In pathological hypertrophy, the increase in cell size is not matched by adequate new
vessel growth, so blood supply becomes relatively insufficient as seen in an enlarged heart
8. What is hyperplasia?
A. An increase in cell size
B. An increase in the number of cells
C. A decrease in the number of cells
, D. A change from one cell type to another
Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is a cell adaptation defined by an increase in cell number, distinct from
hypertrophy (increase in size).
9. Which is an example of physiological hyperplasia?
A. Excessive endometrial bleeding
B. Compensatory regeneration of the liver or skin, or hormonal growth of the endometrial lining
C. Cancerous tumor growth
D. Muscle atrophy from disuse
Answer: B
Rationale: Physiological hyperplasia occurs in normal processes such as organ regeneration
(liver, skin) or hormone-driven tissue growth (endometrial lining during the menstrual cycle).
10. Which is an example of pathological hyperplasia?
A. Liver regeneration after partial resection
B. Excess growth of the endometrial lining causing excessive bleeding
C. Muscle growth from exercise
D. Thymus involution during puberty
Answer: B
Rationale: When hyperplasia becomes excessive and uncontrolled such as overgrowth of the
endometrial lining leading to abnormal bleeding it becomes a pathological process rather than
a normal physiological response.
11. What is dysplasia?
A. A normal, reversible cell adaptation
