NURS 6501 ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
WEEKS 1-6 MIDTERM EXAM
200 Multiple-Choice Questions with Answers and Rationales
Directions: Select the single best answer for each question. The
correct answer and a brief rationale follow each item. An answer
key is provided at the end.
Week 1: Cellular Biology, Membrane Transport, Cell Injury
and Cell Death (30 questions)
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for generating
ATP through oxidative phosphorylation?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Golgi apparatus
C. Lysosome
D. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Answer: A. Mitochondrion
Rationale: The inner mitochondrial membrane houses the
electron transport chain and ATP synthase, which produce most
cellular ATP. The Golgi packages proteins, lysosomes digest, and
smooth ER handles lipid synthesis and detoxification.
2. Which organelle synthesizes proteins destined for
secretion or insertion into the plasma membrane?
A. Peroxisome
B. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
C. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
D. Free cytosolic ribosomes
Answer: B. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
Rationale: Ribosomes studding the rough ER translate proteins
into the ER lumen for secretion or membrane insertion. Free
ribosomes make proteins used within the cytosol.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 1
,3. A student asks what the Golgi apparatus does. The best
answer is that it:
A. Detoxifies lipid-soluble drugs
B. Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for delivery
C. Produces ATP by chemiosmosis
D. Degrades worn-out organelles
Answer: B. Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for
delivery
Rationale: The Golgi completes post-translational modification
(such as glycosylation) and sorts proteins into vesicles for
secretion or delivery to other organelles.
4. Tay-Sachs disease, in which GM2 ganglioside accumulates
because of hexosaminidase A deficiency, is an example of a:
A. Golgi trafficking defect
B. Lysosomal storage disease
C. Mitochondrial disorder
D. Peroxisomal disorder
Answer: B. Lysosomal storage disease
Rationale: Lysosomes contain acid hydrolases; when one is
deficient, its substrate accumulates within the lysosome,
producing a storage disease.
5. Which organelle contains catalase, which converts
hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen?
A. Rough ER
B. Nucleolus
C. Lysosome
D. Peroxisome
Answer: D. Peroxisome
Rationale: Peroxisomes oxidize very-long-chain fatty acids and
produce H2O2, which catalase then neutralizes, protecting the
cell from oxidative damage.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 2
,6. Glucose enters most cells through GLUT transporters.
This process is best described as:
A. Pinocytosis
B. Facilitated diffusion
C. Simple diffusion
D. Secondary active transport
Answer: B. Facilitated diffusion
Rationale: GLUT transporters move glucose down its gradient via
a carrier protein without ATP. The process is saturable and
specific, which distinguishes it from simple diffusion.
7. The Na+/K+-ATPase pump moves:
A. 3 Na+ in and 2 K+ out
B. 2 Na+ out and 3 K+ in
C. 1 Na+ out and 1 K+ in
D. 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in
Answer: D. 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in
Rationale: The pump uses one ATP to move 3 Na+ out and 2 K+
into the cell, maintaining the gradients and contributing to a
negative resting membrane potential.
8. A cell is placed in a hypotonic solution. What is the
expected result?
A. Water moves in and the cell swells
B. Water moves out and the cell shrinks
C. Solutes are actively pumped out
D. No net water movement
Answer: A. Water moves in and the cell swells
Rationale: A hypotonic solution has lower solute concentration
than the cell interior, so water moves by osmosis into the cell,
causing swelling and possible lysis.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 3
, 9. Absorption of glucose in the intestinal epithelium by the
sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) is an example of:
A. Primary active transport
B. Receptor-mediated endocytosis
C. Simple diffusion
D. Secondary active transport
Answer: D. Secondary active transport
Rationale: SGLT uses the Na+ gradient established by the
Na+/K+-ATPase to drive glucose uptake against its gradient. ATP
is used indirectly, so it is secondary active transport.
10. The resting membrane potential of a typical neuron
(about -70 mV) is due mainly to:
A. Chloride pumps
B. K+ leak channels and the Na+/K+ pump
C. Na+ leak channels
D. Ca2+ influx
Answer: B. K+ leak channels and the Na+/K+ pump
Rationale: The membrane is most permeable to K+ at rest, so K+
efflux through leak channels, along with the electrogenic pump,
sets the negative resting potential.
11. Depolarization of a nerve cell during the upstroke of an
action potential results from:
A. Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
B. Closing of Na+/K+ pumps
C. Efflux of chloride
D. Opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
Answer: A. Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
Rationale: When threshold is reached, voltage-gated Na+
channels open and Na+ rushes in, making the inside of the cell
less negative.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 4
WEEKS 1-6 MIDTERM EXAM
200 Multiple-Choice Questions with Answers and Rationales
Directions: Select the single best answer for each question. The
correct answer and a brief rationale follow each item. An answer
key is provided at the end.
Week 1: Cellular Biology, Membrane Transport, Cell Injury
and Cell Death (30 questions)
1. Which organelle is primarily responsible for generating
ATP through oxidative phosphorylation?
A. Mitochondrion
B. Golgi apparatus
C. Lysosome
D. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Answer: A. Mitochondrion
Rationale: The inner mitochondrial membrane houses the
electron transport chain and ATP synthase, which produce most
cellular ATP. The Golgi packages proteins, lysosomes digest, and
smooth ER handles lipid synthesis and detoxification.
2. Which organelle synthesizes proteins destined for
secretion or insertion into the plasma membrane?
A. Peroxisome
B. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
C. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
D. Free cytosolic ribosomes
Answer: B. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
Rationale: Ribosomes studding the rough ER translate proteins
into the ER lumen for secretion or membrane insertion. Free
ribosomes make proteins used within the cytosol.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 1
,3. A student asks what the Golgi apparatus does. The best
answer is that it:
A. Detoxifies lipid-soluble drugs
B. Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for delivery
C. Produces ATP by chemiosmosis
D. Degrades worn-out organelles
Answer: B. Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins for
delivery
Rationale: The Golgi completes post-translational modification
(such as glycosylation) and sorts proteins into vesicles for
secretion or delivery to other organelles.
4. Tay-Sachs disease, in which GM2 ganglioside accumulates
because of hexosaminidase A deficiency, is an example of a:
A. Golgi trafficking defect
B. Lysosomal storage disease
C. Mitochondrial disorder
D. Peroxisomal disorder
Answer: B. Lysosomal storage disease
Rationale: Lysosomes contain acid hydrolases; when one is
deficient, its substrate accumulates within the lysosome,
producing a storage disease.
5. Which organelle contains catalase, which converts
hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen?
A. Rough ER
B. Nucleolus
C. Lysosome
D. Peroxisome
Answer: D. Peroxisome
Rationale: Peroxisomes oxidize very-long-chain fatty acids and
produce H2O2, which catalase then neutralizes, protecting the
cell from oxidative damage.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 2
,6. Glucose enters most cells through GLUT transporters.
This process is best described as:
A. Pinocytosis
B. Facilitated diffusion
C. Simple diffusion
D. Secondary active transport
Answer: B. Facilitated diffusion
Rationale: GLUT transporters move glucose down its gradient via
a carrier protein without ATP. The process is saturable and
specific, which distinguishes it from simple diffusion.
7. The Na+/K+-ATPase pump moves:
A. 3 Na+ in and 2 K+ out
B. 2 Na+ out and 3 K+ in
C. 1 Na+ out and 1 K+ in
D. 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in
Answer: D. 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in
Rationale: The pump uses one ATP to move 3 Na+ out and 2 K+
into the cell, maintaining the gradients and contributing to a
negative resting membrane potential.
8. A cell is placed in a hypotonic solution. What is the
expected result?
A. Water moves in and the cell swells
B. Water moves out and the cell shrinks
C. Solutes are actively pumped out
D. No net water movement
Answer: A. Water moves in and the cell swells
Rationale: A hypotonic solution has lower solute concentration
than the cell interior, so water moves by osmosis into the cell,
causing swelling and possible lysis.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 3
, 9. Absorption of glucose in the intestinal epithelium by the
sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) is an example of:
A. Primary active transport
B. Receptor-mediated endocytosis
C. Simple diffusion
D. Secondary active transport
Answer: D. Secondary active transport
Rationale: SGLT uses the Na+ gradient established by the
Na+/K+-ATPase to drive glucose uptake against its gradient. ATP
is used indirectly, so it is secondary active transport.
10. The resting membrane potential of a typical neuron
(about -70 mV) is due mainly to:
A. Chloride pumps
B. K+ leak channels and the Na+/K+ pump
C. Na+ leak channels
D. Ca2+ influx
Answer: B. K+ leak channels and the Na+/K+ pump
Rationale: The membrane is most permeable to K+ at rest, so K+
efflux through leak channels, along with the electrogenic pump,
sets the negative resting potential.
11. Depolarization of a nerve cell during the upstroke of an
action potential results from:
A. Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
B. Closing of Na+/K+ pumps
C. Efflux of chloride
D. Opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
Answer: A. Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
Rationale: When threshold is reached, voltage-gated Na+
channels open and Na+ rushes in, making the inside of the cell
less negative.
NURS 6501 Midterm - Page 4
