NURS 6501 Advanced Pathophysiology Week 1-6
Exam 2026/2027 – Questions & Answers with
Rationales
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 — Cellular Biology, Homeostasis & Adaptation
Section 2 — Cellular Injury, Inflammation & Repair
Section 3 — Genetics, Genomics & Cancer Biology
Section 4 — Fluids, Electrolytes & Acid–Base Balance
Section 5 — Immune System & Hypersensitivity Disorders
Section 6 — Hematologic, Infectious & Integrated Pathophysiology
SECTION 1 — CELLULAR BIOLOGY, HOMEOSTASIS & ADAPTATION
Question 1
Which concept describes the body's ability to maintain a relatively stable internal
environment despite external changes?
A. Adaptation
B. Homeostasis
C. Apoptosis
D. Differentiation
Answer: B. Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis is the maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions
through coordinated physiologic mechanisms. It involves sensors, control centers,
and effectors that respond to deviations from a physiologic set point.
,Question 2
Which component of a homeostatic feedback system detects a change in the
internal environment?
A. Effector
B. Receptor
C. Control center
D. Target organ
Answer: B. Receptor
Rationale: Receptors or sensors detect changes in variables such as temperature,
pressure, glucose, or oxygen. Information is transmitted to a control center,
which coordinates the response.
Question 3
Which type of feedback generally restores a physiologic variable toward its
normal range?
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback
C. Feed-forward amplification
D. Pathologic feedback
Answer: B. Negative feedback
Rationale: Negative feedback counteracts an initial change. Examples include
regulation of blood glucose, body temperature, and blood pressure.
Question 4
Which is an example of positive feedback?
A. Insulin lowering blood glucose
B. Sweating during hyperthermia
C. Oxytocin intensifying uterine contractions
D. Increased insulin secretion after glucose elevation
,Answer: C. Oxytocin intensifying uterine contractions
Rationale: Positive feedback amplifies an initial stimulus. During labor, cervical
stretching stimulates oxytocin release, which increases uterine contractions and
further cervical stretching.
Question 5
A patient develops increased heart rate in response to hypotension. This response
primarily represents:
A. Cellular injury
B. Physiologic compensation
C. Metaplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: B. Physiologic compensation
Rationale: Increased sympathetic activity raises heart rate and contractility to
help preserve cardiac output and blood pressure during hypotension.
Question 6
Which cellular adaptation involves enlargement of individual cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size. It is especially important in
tissues such as cardiac muscle where mature cells have limited proliferative
capacity.
Question 7
, Which adaptation involves an increase in the number of cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Atrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia results from increased cellular proliferation. Hormonal
stimulation of the endometrium and compensatory liver growth are examples.
Question 8
A patient immobilizes a limb for several months and develops decreased muscle
mass. This is:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Atrophy
Rationale: Disuse decreases muscle workload and promotes protein degradation,
resulting in reduced muscle-cell size and muscle mass.
Question 9
Replacement of one mature differentiated cell type by another is called:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: B. Metaplasia
Exam 2026/2027 – Questions & Answers with
Rationales
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section 1 — Cellular Biology, Homeostasis & Adaptation
Section 2 — Cellular Injury, Inflammation & Repair
Section 3 — Genetics, Genomics & Cancer Biology
Section 4 — Fluids, Electrolytes & Acid–Base Balance
Section 5 — Immune System & Hypersensitivity Disorders
Section 6 — Hematologic, Infectious & Integrated Pathophysiology
SECTION 1 — CELLULAR BIOLOGY, HOMEOSTASIS & ADAPTATION
Question 1
Which concept describes the body's ability to maintain a relatively stable internal
environment despite external changes?
A. Adaptation
B. Homeostasis
C. Apoptosis
D. Differentiation
Answer: B. Homeostasis
Rationale: Homeostasis is the maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions
through coordinated physiologic mechanisms. It involves sensors, control centers,
and effectors that respond to deviations from a physiologic set point.
,Question 2
Which component of a homeostatic feedback system detects a change in the
internal environment?
A. Effector
B. Receptor
C. Control center
D. Target organ
Answer: B. Receptor
Rationale: Receptors or sensors detect changes in variables such as temperature,
pressure, glucose, or oxygen. Information is transmitted to a control center,
which coordinates the response.
Question 3
Which type of feedback generally restores a physiologic variable toward its
normal range?
A. Positive feedback
B. Negative feedback
C. Feed-forward amplification
D. Pathologic feedback
Answer: B. Negative feedback
Rationale: Negative feedback counteracts an initial change. Examples include
regulation of blood glucose, body temperature, and blood pressure.
Question 4
Which is an example of positive feedback?
A. Insulin lowering blood glucose
B. Sweating during hyperthermia
C. Oxytocin intensifying uterine contractions
D. Increased insulin secretion after glucose elevation
,Answer: C. Oxytocin intensifying uterine contractions
Rationale: Positive feedback amplifies an initial stimulus. During labor, cervical
stretching stimulates oxytocin release, which increases uterine contractions and
further cervical stretching.
Question 5
A patient develops increased heart rate in response to hypotension. This response
primarily represents:
A. Cellular injury
B. Physiologic compensation
C. Metaplasia
D. Necrosis
Answer: B. Physiologic compensation
Rationale: Increased sympathetic activity raises heart rate and contractility to
help preserve cardiac output and blood pressure during hypotension.
Question 6
Which cellular adaptation involves enlargement of individual cells?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Metaplasia
D. Dysplasia
Answer: B. Hypertrophy
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size. It is especially important in
tissues such as cardiac muscle where mature cells have limited proliferative
capacity.
Question 7
, Which adaptation involves an increase in the number of cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Atrophy
C. Hyperplasia
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia results from increased cellular proliferation. Hormonal
stimulation of the endometrium and compensatory liver growth are examples.
Question 8
A patient immobilizes a limb for several months and develops decreased muscle
mass. This is:
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Answer: C. Atrophy
Rationale: Disuse decreases muscle workload and promotes protein degradation,
resulting in reduced muscle-cell size and muscle mass.
Question 9
Replacement of one mature differentiated cell type by another is called:
A. Dysplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hyperplasia
D. Anaplasia
Answer: B. Metaplasia
