ASCP Final Exam Questions and Correct
Answers 2025| All Answers Correct for
Guaranteed Pass
What do C bands stain? CORRECT ANSWER: constitutive heterochromatin
chromosomes 1,9,16,Y
When dropping, chromosomes that will be g banded should appear? CORRECT
ANSWER: gray
Describe the function of hypo? CORRECT ANSWER: lyses RBC
causes cells to swell
disperse chromosomes
Over exposure to mitotic arrestantsn results in? CORRECT ANSWER: contracted
chromosomes
What are the effects of fixation? CORRECT ANSWER: remove water from cells
enhance chromosome morphology
dissolve nuclear histones
kill cells by fixing the cell membrane
Disadvantges of the direct harvest method as opposed to harvesting cultured cells for
CVS analysis are: CORRECT ANSWER: poor quality chromosomes and increased
pseudomosaicism
Describe horizantal laminar flow hoods CORRECT ANSWER: protects culture from
contamination
should not be used with transformed cell lines
sterilizes the air entering the hood
Which of the following media supplements is optional for long term culture:
insulin
antibiotics/antifungicides
growth factors
fetal calf serum CORRECT ANSWER: antibiotics/antifungicides
True or false: epithelial cells cannot be morphologically distinguished from
mesenchymal cells when viewed under an inverted phase scope CORRECT ANSWER:
False
,True or false:the culture method used to obtain chromosome preparations from AF is
considered short term CORRECT ANSWER: true
What types of containers are needed to collect PB, BM, and ST/CV samples CORRECT
ANSWER: pb: NH tube
bm: NH tube or syringe
ST/ CV: sterile container with antibiotics
How much PB is needed for a successful study?
(differs with age) CORRECT ANSWER: 5-10mL for adults
3-5mL for infants
How much bm is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: 1-3mL
How much amniotic fluid is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: 15-
30mL in 2 separate containers?
How much ST is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: • Tissue:
CVS: 5-25 mg
Skin: 1mm3 minimum
Tumor: 1mm3 minimum
What transportation temperature are lethal to cells CORRECT ANSWER: Over 40 C
If transporting specimen over long term what temperature should they be kept at
CORRECT ANSWER: 4C
How long can be PB samples be stored without being cultures CORRECT ANSWER: 1
week after collection at 4C
If a bone marrow cannot be set within 4 hours how should it be stored? CORRECT
ANSWER: add media and kept at room temp
Tissues should not be transported dry. What are the preferred medias to keep them
moist in order from best to worst. CORRECT ANSWER: RPMI
PBS or Hanks(HBSS)
NaCL
How long can you store tissues? CORRECT ANSWER: Overnight at 4C. Never fixed
How should amniotic fluid be transported? CORRECT ANSWER: non-toxic plastic
container/syringes and deliver ASAP
How should CVS be transported CORRECT ANSWER: sterile media with an
antibiotics and FBS
, How do you avoid cellular contamination in prenatal tissues? CORRECT ANSWER:
discard the fist 1-2 mL of amniotic fluid
How do you avoid cellular contamination in ST? CORRECT ANSWER: dissect
parenchyma and fatty tissue
Which specimen is the most widely used for CG analysis CORRECT ANSWER: PB
True or false: Too much NH can inhibit cell growth CORRECT ANSWER: true
What is the preferred anticoagulant? CORRECT ANSWER: NH
What anticoagulants are supposedly toxic to lymphocytes CORRECT ANSWER:
EDTA, LiH, ACD
What chemicals substances prevent fungal infection CORRECT ANSWER:
Amphotericin B, Fungizone,
Mycostatin
What chemicals prevent bacterial infection CORRECT ANSWER:
penicillin/streptomycin
Kanamycin/gentamycin if resistant to above
What causes clotting in PB/BM samples (2) CORRECT ANSWER: Not enough
heparin: Make sure 100 units er 5mL of sample were added
patients with a coagulation issue( thrombocytosis and thrombocythemia and APL)
What causes cells density to be too high CORRECT ANSWER: hyperplastic BM. Do
dilution
What causes cell density to be too low CORRECT ANSWER: hypoplastic Bm. Buffy
coat
What is the goal time period to set a bone marrow sample CORRECT ANSWER: 4 hrs
after collection
What is the ideal time for Amniocentisis tap? CORRECT ANSWER: 16-20 weeks
gestation
What happens if amniocentesis tap is done before 16 weeks or after 20 weeks gestation?
CORRECT ANSWER: Before: slow growth due to low fetal cell count in amniotic fluid
After: slow growth due to non viable fetal cells
Answers 2025| All Answers Correct for
Guaranteed Pass
What do C bands stain? CORRECT ANSWER: constitutive heterochromatin
chromosomes 1,9,16,Y
When dropping, chromosomes that will be g banded should appear? CORRECT
ANSWER: gray
Describe the function of hypo? CORRECT ANSWER: lyses RBC
causes cells to swell
disperse chromosomes
Over exposure to mitotic arrestantsn results in? CORRECT ANSWER: contracted
chromosomes
What are the effects of fixation? CORRECT ANSWER: remove water from cells
enhance chromosome morphology
dissolve nuclear histones
kill cells by fixing the cell membrane
Disadvantges of the direct harvest method as opposed to harvesting cultured cells for
CVS analysis are: CORRECT ANSWER: poor quality chromosomes and increased
pseudomosaicism
Describe horizantal laminar flow hoods CORRECT ANSWER: protects culture from
contamination
should not be used with transformed cell lines
sterilizes the air entering the hood
Which of the following media supplements is optional for long term culture:
insulin
antibiotics/antifungicides
growth factors
fetal calf serum CORRECT ANSWER: antibiotics/antifungicides
True or false: epithelial cells cannot be morphologically distinguished from
mesenchymal cells when viewed under an inverted phase scope CORRECT ANSWER:
False
,True or false:the culture method used to obtain chromosome preparations from AF is
considered short term CORRECT ANSWER: true
What types of containers are needed to collect PB, BM, and ST/CV samples CORRECT
ANSWER: pb: NH tube
bm: NH tube or syringe
ST/ CV: sterile container with antibiotics
How much PB is needed for a successful study?
(differs with age) CORRECT ANSWER: 5-10mL for adults
3-5mL for infants
How much bm is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: 1-3mL
How much amniotic fluid is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: 15-
30mL in 2 separate containers?
How much ST is needed for successful study? CORRECT ANSWER: • Tissue:
CVS: 5-25 mg
Skin: 1mm3 minimum
Tumor: 1mm3 minimum
What transportation temperature are lethal to cells CORRECT ANSWER: Over 40 C
If transporting specimen over long term what temperature should they be kept at
CORRECT ANSWER: 4C
How long can be PB samples be stored without being cultures CORRECT ANSWER: 1
week after collection at 4C
If a bone marrow cannot be set within 4 hours how should it be stored? CORRECT
ANSWER: add media and kept at room temp
Tissues should not be transported dry. What are the preferred medias to keep them
moist in order from best to worst. CORRECT ANSWER: RPMI
PBS or Hanks(HBSS)
NaCL
How long can you store tissues? CORRECT ANSWER: Overnight at 4C. Never fixed
How should amniotic fluid be transported? CORRECT ANSWER: non-toxic plastic
container/syringes and deliver ASAP
How should CVS be transported CORRECT ANSWER: sterile media with an
antibiotics and FBS
, How do you avoid cellular contamination in prenatal tissues? CORRECT ANSWER:
discard the fist 1-2 mL of amniotic fluid
How do you avoid cellular contamination in ST? CORRECT ANSWER: dissect
parenchyma and fatty tissue
Which specimen is the most widely used for CG analysis CORRECT ANSWER: PB
True or false: Too much NH can inhibit cell growth CORRECT ANSWER: true
What is the preferred anticoagulant? CORRECT ANSWER: NH
What anticoagulants are supposedly toxic to lymphocytes CORRECT ANSWER:
EDTA, LiH, ACD
What chemicals substances prevent fungal infection CORRECT ANSWER:
Amphotericin B, Fungizone,
Mycostatin
What chemicals prevent bacterial infection CORRECT ANSWER:
penicillin/streptomycin
Kanamycin/gentamycin if resistant to above
What causes clotting in PB/BM samples (2) CORRECT ANSWER: Not enough
heparin: Make sure 100 units er 5mL of sample were added
patients with a coagulation issue( thrombocytosis and thrombocythemia and APL)
What causes cells density to be too high CORRECT ANSWER: hyperplastic BM. Do
dilution
What causes cell density to be too low CORRECT ANSWER: hypoplastic Bm. Buffy
coat
What is the goal time period to set a bone marrow sample CORRECT ANSWER: 4 hrs
after collection
What is the ideal time for Amniocentisis tap? CORRECT ANSWER: 16-20 weeks
gestation
What happens if amniocentesis tap is done before 16 weeks or after 20 weeks gestation?
CORRECT ANSWER: Before: slow growth due to low fetal cell count in amniotic fluid
After: slow growth due to non viable fetal cells
