,Examination ,Chapter 1: Cellular Function
Multiple-Choice Questions (75 Questions)
1. Protein hormones and enzymes are stored in the __________, awaiting signals to be released into the
cell.
A) food vacuole
B) Golgi complex
C) rough endoplasmic reticulum
D) secretory vesicles
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Why D is correct: Secretory vesicles are membrane-bound sacs that store proteins and hormones after
they are processed in the Golgi complex, awaiting release signals.
Why A is incorrect: Food vacuoles are involved in digestion, not storage of hormones.
Why B is incorrect: The Golgi complex processes proteins but does not store them for release.
Why C is incorrect: The rough endoplasmic reticulum synthesizes proteins but does not store them.
2. Low serum albumin levels (hypoalbuminemia) can cause edema because:
A) oncotic pressure increases.
B) oncotic pressure decreases.
C) osmotic pressure increases.
D) hydrostatic pressure decreases.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Why B is correct: Albumin contributes to plasma oncotic pressure; decreased albumin lowers oncotic
pressure, allowing fluid to leak into interstitial spaces.
Why A is incorrect: Oncotic pressure decreases, not increases, with low albumin.
Why C is incorrect: Osmotic pressure refers to solute concentration; albumin reduction does not
increase osmotic pressure.
Why D is incorrect: Hydrostatic pressure is not directly affected by albumin levels.
3. Neurotransmitters are packaged into vesicles and then fuse with the cell membrane for release. This
is an example of:
A) pinocytosis.
B) phagocytosis.
C) exocytosis.
D) endocytosis.
Correct Answer: C
,Rationale:
Why C is correct: Exocytosis is the process where vesicles fuse with the cell membrane to release
contents extracellularly.
Why A is incorrect: Pinocytosis involves fluid uptake.
Why B is incorrect: Phagocytosis involves ingestion of large particles.
Why D is incorrect: Endocytosis involves internalization of substances.
4. What is a possible reason for increased risk for chromosomal abnormalities with older maternal age?
A) Ova meiosis is complete by the time a girl is born thereby making them less likely to divide properly.
B) The older ova are more likely to have errors during meiosis.
C) Older ova are more likely to have p53 gene mutations.
D) Ova are continuously produced thereby increasing the chance of creating defective ova.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Why B is correct: Ova are arrested in meiosis I until ovulation; with increasing maternal age, the ova are
more susceptible to meiotic errors such as nondisjunction.
Why A is incorrect: Ova are arrested in prophase I, not complete.
Why C is incorrect: p53 mutations are not specifically linked to maternal age.
Why D is incorrect: Ova are not continuously produced.
5. DNA that is transmitted from parents to offspring mainly comes from the:
A) mitochondria.
B) nucleolus.
C) ribosomes.
D) nucleus.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Why D is correct: The nucleus contains the chromosomes that house DNA transmitted from parents.
Why A is incorrect: Mitochondrial DNA is maternally inherited but represents a small fraction of total
DNA.
Why B is incorrect: The nucleolus is involved in ribosomal RNA synthesis.
Why C is incorrect: Ribosomes are sites of protein synthesis, not DNA storage.
6. A patient will be receiving stem cells obtained from a donor's blood (allogenic transplant) for
leukemia (abnormal white blood cells). These stem cells are categorized as multipotent because they
can make:
A) multiple types of cells in the body.
B) only white blood cells.
C) all types of blood cells.
D) differentiated cells that can become any cell.
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale:
Why C is correct: Multipotent stem cells from blood can differentiate into all types of blood cells
(erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets).
Why A is incorrect: This describes pluripotent cells.
Why B is incorrect: They can make all blood cells, not just white blood cells.
Why D is incorrect: This describes totipotent cells.
7. During which phase of the cell cycle are there "checkpoints" where damaged DNA is fixed?
A) Interphase
B) Prophase
C) Metaphase
D) Anaphase
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Why A is correct: Interphase includes G1, S, and G2 phases where checkpoints monitor DNA integrity.
Why B is incorrect: Prophase is part of mitosis, not a checkpoint phase.
Why C is incorrect: Metaphase is part of mitosis.
Why D is incorrect: Anaphase is part of mitosis.
8. Which of the following are characteristic of malignant cells?
A) Anaplastic, proliferate, and nonfunctioning
B) Well differentiated and nonfunctioning
C) Anaplastic, encapsulated, and functioning
D) Some differentiation, evade apoptosis, and functioning
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Why A is correct: Malignant cells are anaplastic (poorly differentiated), proliferate uncontrollably, and
are nonfunctioning.
Why B is incorrect: Malignant cells are not well differentiated.
Why C is incorrect: Malignant cells are not encapsulated.
Why D is incorrect: Malignant cells are typically not functioning.
9. A patient has pancreatic cancer and has a RAS proto-oncogene mutation. This oncogene affects cells
by:
A) suppressing cellular growth and division.
B) turning off protein transcription.
C) allowing the cell to gain function such as proliferation.
D) destroying cellular repair mechanisms.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Why C is correct: RAS is a proto-oncogene; when mutated, it becomes an oncogene that promotes
Multiple-Choice Questions (75 Questions)
1. Protein hormones and enzymes are stored in the __________, awaiting signals to be released into the
cell.
A) food vacuole
B) Golgi complex
C) rough endoplasmic reticulum
D) secretory vesicles
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Why D is correct: Secretory vesicles are membrane-bound sacs that store proteins and hormones after
they are processed in the Golgi complex, awaiting release signals.
Why A is incorrect: Food vacuoles are involved in digestion, not storage of hormones.
Why B is incorrect: The Golgi complex processes proteins but does not store them for release.
Why C is incorrect: The rough endoplasmic reticulum synthesizes proteins but does not store them.
2. Low serum albumin levels (hypoalbuminemia) can cause edema because:
A) oncotic pressure increases.
B) oncotic pressure decreases.
C) osmotic pressure increases.
D) hydrostatic pressure decreases.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Why B is correct: Albumin contributes to plasma oncotic pressure; decreased albumin lowers oncotic
pressure, allowing fluid to leak into interstitial spaces.
Why A is incorrect: Oncotic pressure decreases, not increases, with low albumin.
Why C is incorrect: Osmotic pressure refers to solute concentration; albumin reduction does not
increase osmotic pressure.
Why D is incorrect: Hydrostatic pressure is not directly affected by albumin levels.
3. Neurotransmitters are packaged into vesicles and then fuse with the cell membrane for release. This
is an example of:
A) pinocytosis.
B) phagocytosis.
C) exocytosis.
D) endocytosis.
Correct Answer: C
,Rationale:
Why C is correct: Exocytosis is the process where vesicles fuse with the cell membrane to release
contents extracellularly.
Why A is incorrect: Pinocytosis involves fluid uptake.
Why B is incorrect: Phagocytosis involves ingestion of large particles.
Why D is incorrect: Endocytosis involves internalization of substances.
4. What is a possible reason for increased risk for chromosomal abnormalities with older maternal age?
A) Ova meiosis is complete by the time a girl is born thereby making them less likely to divide properly.
B) The older ova are more likely to have errors during meiosis.
C) Older ova are more likely to have p53 gene mutations.
D) Ova are continuously produced thereby increasing the chance of creating defective ova.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale:
Why B is correct: Ova are arrested in meiosis I until ovulation; with increasing maternal age, the ova are
more susceptible to meiotic errors such as nondisjunction.
Why A is incorrect: Ova are arrested in prophase I, not complete.
Why C is incorrect: p53 mutations are not specifically linked to maternal age.
Why D is incorrect: Ova are not continuously produced.
5. DNA that is transmitted from parents to offspring mainly comes from the:
A) mitochondria.
B) nucleolus.
C) ribosomes.
D) nucleus.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale:
Why D is correct: The nucleus contains the chromosomes that house DNA transmitted from parents.
Why A is incorrect: Mitochondrial DNA is maternally inherited but represents a small fraction of total
DNA.
Why B is incorrect: The nucleolus is involved in ribosomal RNA synthesis.
Why C is incorrect: Ribosomes are sites of protein synthesis, not DNA storage.
6. A patient will be receiving stem cells obtained from a donor's blood (allogenic transplant) for
leukemia (abnormal white blood cells). These stem cells are categorized as multipotent because they
can make:
A) multiple types of cells in the body.
B) only white blood cells.
C) all types of blood cells.
D) differentiated cells that can become any cell.
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale:
Why C is correct: Multipotent stem cells from blood can differentiate into all types of blood cells
(erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets).
Why A is incorrect: This describes pluripotent cells.
Why B is incorrect: They can make all blood cells, not just white blood cells.
Why D is incorrect: This describes totipotent cells.
7. During which phase of the cell cycle are there "checkpoints" where damaged DNA is fixed?
A) Interphase
B) Prophase
C) Metaphase
D) Anaphase
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Why A is correct: Interphase includes G1, S, and G2 phases where checkpoints monitor DNA integrity.
Why B is incorrect: Prophase is part of mitosis, not a checkpoint phase.
Why C is incorrect: Metaphase is part of mitosis.
Why D is incorrect: Anaphase is part of mitosis.
8. Which of the following are characteristic of malignant cells?
A) Anaplastic, proliferate, and nonfunctioning
B) Well differentiated and nonfunctioning
C) Anaplastic, encapsulated, and functioning
D) Some differentiation, evade apoptosis, and functioning
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Why A is correct: Malignant cells are anaplastic (poorly differentiated), proliferate uncontrollably, and
are nonfunctioning.
Why B is incorrect: Malignant cells are not well differentiated.
Why C is incorrect: Malignant cells are not encapsulated.
Why D is incorrect: Malignant cells are typically not functioning.
9. A patient has pancreatic cancer and has a RAS proto-oncogene mutation. This oncogene affects cells
by:
A) suppressing cellular growth and division.
B) turning off protein transcription.
C) allowing the cell to gain function such as proliferation.
D) destroying cellular repair mechanisms.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale:
Why C is correct: RAS is a proto-oncogene; when mutated, it becomes an oncogene that promotes
