NURS611 / NURS 611 Exam 1 Study Guide Advanced
Pathophysiology - Questions & Answers (2025)
What is Apoptosis? - ANS-A programmed cell death
What is necrosis? - ANS-Death of most or all of the cells in an organ or tissue due to
disease, injury, or failure of the blood supply.
Characteristics of tissue necrosis - ANS-1) Rapid loss of of the plasma membrane
structure
2) Organelle swelling
3) Mitochondrial dysfunction
Hypoxia - ANS-What is the #1 major cause of cellular injury leading to necrosis.
(especially the kidney and heart)
What is hypertrophy? - ANS-Is an increase in the size of cells
Physiologic hypertrophy - ANS-Hypertrophy of myocardial cells such as in endurance
training
Pathologic hypertrophy - ANS-Occurs secondary to HTN
What is Hyperplasia - ANS-Increase in the number of cells
Pathological hyperplasia - ANS-Endometrial hyperplasia
Compensatory hyperplasia - ANS-Removal of 70% of the liver- can regenerate in about
2 weeks
What is Metaplasia - ANS-Replacement of cells
Example of Metaplasia - ANS-Normal columnar ciliated epithelial cells of the brohchial
lining have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells
During ischemia, what effect does the loss of the ATP levels have on cells? - ANS-
Reduction in ATP levels causes the plasma membrane's sodium-potassium pump and
sodium-calcium exchange to fail, which leads to an intracellular accumulation of sodium
and calcium and diffusion of potassium out of the cell. Sodium and water then can enter
the cell freely, and cellular swelling results.
Free radicals play a major role in the initiation and progression of which diseases? -
ANS-These reactive oxygen species play major roles in the initiation and progression of
cardiovascular alterations associated with hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus,
hypertension, ischemic heart diseases, and chronic heart failure.
, What are free radicals? - ANS-Electrically uncharged atom or group of atoms having an
unpaired electron.
How are free radicals formed? - ANS-Having one unpaired electron makes the molecule
unstable; thus to stabilize, it gives up an electron to another molecule or steals one.
Free radical species - ANS-Are capable of injurious chemical bond formation with
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates - key molecules in membranes and nucleic acids.
What are the Lysosomes? - ANS-Enzymatic digestion of cellular organelles, including
the nucleus and nucleolus, halting synthesis of DNA and RNA
What are peroxisomes? - ANS-membrane-bound organelles in most Eukaryotic cells,
primarily involved in lipid metabolism and the conversion of reactive oxygen species
such as hydrogen peroxide into safer molecules like water and oxygen
How does the body metabolize Ethanol - ANS-Liver enzymes metabolize ethanol to
acetaldehyde which causes hepatic cellular dysfunction. Peroxisomes help detoxify
ethanol.
Which cell component is the most vulnerable target of radiation? - ANS-DNA
What is Sarcopenia - ANS-Muscular atrophy
What are some example of aging of cell/tissues - ANS-- Increased peripheral vascular
resistance
- Decreased production of HCL and delayed emptying of the stomach
- Decreased immune response
What are indications of dehydration? - ANS-Headache, thirst, dry skin, and mucous
membranes, elevated temperature, weight loss, and decreased or concentrated urine.
Skin turgor may be normal or decreased. S/sx of hypovolemia, including tachycardia,
weak pulses, dizziness, and postural hypotension.
Oncotic pressure - ANS-A form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins, notably
albumin, in a blood vessel's plasma (blood/liquid) that usually tends to pull water into the
circulatory system.
What activates osmoreceptors? - ANS-An increase in osmotic pressure of the plasma
Low plasma albumin causes edema as a result of what? - ANS-A reduction in plasma
oncotic pressure
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) - ANS-Produced by the myocardial atria
Pathophysiology - Questions & Answers (2025)
What is Apoptosis? - ANS-A programmed cell death
What is necrosis? - ANS-Death of most or all of the cells in an organ or tissue due to
disease, injury, or failure of the blood supply.
Characteristics of tissue necrosis - ANS-1) Rapid loss of of the plasma membrane
structure
2) Organelle swelling
3) Mitochondrial dysfunction
Hypoxia - ANS-What is the #1 major cause of cellular injury leading to necrosis.
(especially the kidney and heart)
What is hypertrophy? - ANS-Is an increase in the size of cells
Physiologic hypertrophy - ANS-Hypertrophy of myocardial cells such as in endurance
training
Pathologic hypertrophy - ANS-Occurs secondary to HTN
What is Hyperplasia - ANS-Increase in the number of cells
Pathological hyperplasia - ANS-Endometrial hyperplasia
Compensatory hyperplasia - ANS-Removal of 70% of the liver- can regenerate in about
2 weeks
What is Metaplasia - ANS-Replacement of cells
Example of Metaplasia - ANS-Normal columnar ciliated epithelial cells of the brohchial
lining have been replaced by stratified squamous epithelial cells
During ischemia, what effect does the loss of the ATP levels have on cells? - ANS-
Reduction in ATP levels causes the plasma membrane's sodium-potassium pump and
sodium-calcium exchange to fail, which leads to an intracellular accumulation of sodium
and calcium and diffusion of potassium out of the cell. Sodium and water then can enter
the cell freely, and cellular swelling results.
Free radicals play a major role in the initiation and progression of which diseases? -
ANS-These reactive oxygen species play major roles in the initiation and progression of
cardiovascular alterations associated with hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus,
hypertension, ischemic heart diseases, and chronic heart failure.
, What are free radicals? - ANS-Electrically uncharged atom or group of atoms having an
unpaired electron.
How are free radicals formed? - ANS-Having one unpaired electron makes the molecule
unstable; thus to stabilize, it gives up an electron to another molecule or steals one.
Free radical species - ANS-Are capable of injurious chemical bond formation with
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates - key molecules in membranes and nucleic acids.
What are the Lysosomes? - ANS-Enzymatic digestion of cellular organelles, including
the nucleus and nucleolus, halting synthesis of DNA and RNA
What are peroxisomes? - ANS-membrane-bound organelles in most Eukaryotic cells,
primarily involved in lipid metabolism and the conversion of reactive oxygen species
such as hydrogen peroxide into safer molecules like water and oxygen
How does the body metabolize Ethanol - ANS-Liver enzymes metabolize ethanol to
acetaldehyde which causes hepatic cellular dysfunction. Peroxisomes help detoxify
ethanol.
Which cell component is the most vulnerable target of radiation? - ANS-DNA
What is Sarcopenia - ANS-Muscular atrophy
What are some example of aging of cell/tissues - ANS-- Increased peripheral vascular
resistance
- Decreased production of HCL and delayed emptying of the stomach
- Decreased immune response
What are indications of dehydration? - ANS-Headache, thirst, dry skin, and mucous
membranes, elevated temperature, weight loss, and decreased or concentrated urine.
Skin turgor may be normal or decreased. S/sx of hypovolemia, including tachycardia,
weak pulses, dizziness, and postural hypotension.
Oncotic pressure - ANS-A form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins, notably
albumin, in a blood vessel's plasma (blood/liquid) that usually tends to pull water into the
circulatory system.
What activates osmoreceptors? - ANS-An increase in osmotic pressure of the plasma
Low plasma albumin causes edema as a result of what? - ANS-A reduction in plasma
oncotic pressure
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) - ANS-Produced by the myocardial atria
