ROBBINS BASIC PATHOLOGY
10TH EDITION
AUTHOR(S)VINAY KUMAR; ABUL K.
ABBAS; JON C. ASTER
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
A 68-year-old man with peripheral arterial disease develops a
nonhealing ulcer. Tissue biopsy shows cells with marked
cytoplasmic swelling and disrupted plasma membranes. Which
cellular event most directly explains the observed swelling?
Options
A. Increased mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
B. Failure of the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase pump due to ATP depletion
C. Activation of caspases causing nuclear fragmentation
,D. Enhanced ubiquitin–proteasome degradation of cytoskeletal
proteins
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
• Correct (B): ATP depletion impairs the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase,
leading to intracellular Na⁺ and water accumulation and
cellular swelling—characteristic of reversible ischemic
injury.
• Incorrect (A): Increased oxidative phosphorylation would
raise ATP, not cause pump failure or swelling.
• Incorrect (C): Caspase activation leads to apoptosis with
cell shrinkage and nuclear changes, not swelling from
membrane pump failure.
• Incorrect (D): Proteasomal degradation affects protein
turnover, not acute ionic gradients causing swelling.
Teaching Point
Ischemia → ATP loss → Na⁺/K⁺ pump failure → cell swelling.
Citation
Kumar et al. (2021). Robbins Basic Pathology (10th Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
,Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
A patient with severe thermal injury shows cells with dense,
eosinophilic cytoplasm, loss of nuclei, and karyolysis on
histology. Which process best categorizes this pattern of cell
death?
Options
A. Autophagy-mediated survival
B. Necrosis due to severe membrane damage
C. Apoptosis via intrinsic mitochondrial pathway
D. Reversible cellular adaptation
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
• Correct (B): The described histologic features—
eosinophilia, nuclear dissolution—are classic for necrosis
from irreversible membrane and organelle damage.
• Incorrect (A): Autophagy is a regulated survival pathway
with autophagic vacuoles, not the described nuclear
dissolution.
• Incorrect (C): Apoptosis shows cell shrinkage and nuclear
fragmentation (pyknosis/karyorrhexis), not karyolysis.
, • Incorrect (D): Reversible adaptation produces cellular
hypertrophy or hyperplasia, not cell death.
Teaching Point
Necrosis shows loss of membrane integrity and karyolysis.
Citation
Kumar et al. (2021). Robbins Basic Pathology (10th Ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
During a clinical-pathology conference, a resident suggests that
apoptotic cells seldom provoke inflammation. Which
explanation best supports that statement?
Options
A. Apoptosis rapidly releases intracellular contents into the
extracellular space
B. Apoptotic cells maintain membrane integrity and are
phagocytosed without leakage
C. Apoptosis involves complement activation and neutrophil
recruitment
D. Apoptotic cells recruit macrophages by releasing histamine
10TH EDITION
AUTHOR(S)VINAY KUMAR; ABUL K.
ABBAS; JON C. ASTER
TEST BANK
1
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
A 68-year-old man with peripheral arterial disease develops a
nonhealing ulcer. Tissue biopsy shows cells with marked
cytoplasmic swelling and disrupted plasma membranes. Which
cellular event most directly explains the observed swelling?
Options
A. Increased mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
B. Failure of the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase pump due to ATP depletion
C. Activation of caspases causing nuclear fragmentation
,D. Enhanced ubiquitin–proteasome degradation of cytoskeletal
proteins
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
• Correct (B): ATP depletion impairs the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase,
leading to intracellular Na⁺ and water accumulation and
cellular swelling—characteristic of reversible ischemic
injury.
• Incorrect (A): Increased oxidative phosphorylation would
raise ATP, not cause pump failure or swelling.
• Incorrect (C): Caspase activation leads to apoptosis with
cell shrinkage and nuclear changes, not swelling from
membrane pump failure.
• Incorrect (D): Proteasomal degradation affects protein
turnover, not acute ionic gradients causing swelling.
Teaching Point
Ischemia → ATP loss → Na⁺/K⁺ pump failure → cell swelling.
Citation
Kumar et al. (2021). Robbins Basic Pathology (10th Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
,Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
A patient with severe thermal injury shows cells with dense,
eosinophilic cytoplasm, loss of nuclei, and karyolysis on
histology. Which process best categorizes this pattern of cell
death?
Options
A. Autophagy-mediated survival
B. Necrosis due to severe membrane damage
C. Apoptosis via intrinsic mitochondrial pathway
D. Reversible cellular adaptation
Correct Answer
B
Rationales
• Correct (B): The described histologic features—
eosinophilia, nuclear dissolution—are classic for necrosis
from irreversible membrane and organelle damage.
• Incorrect (A): Autophagy is a regulated survival pathway
with autophagic vacuoles, not the described nuclear
dissolution.
• Incorrect (C): Apoptosis shows cell shrinkage and nuclear
fragmentation (pyknosis/karyorrhexis), not karyolysis.
, • Incorrect (D): Reversible adaptation produces cellular
hypertrophy or hyperplasia, not cell death.
Teaching Point
Necrosis shows loss of membrane integrity and karyolysis.
Citation
Kumar et al. (2021). Robbins Basic Pathology (10th Ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Cell as a Unit of Health and Disease — The Cell as a
Unit of Health and Disease
Question Stem
During a clinical-pathology conference, a resident suggests that
apoptotic cells seldom provoke inflammation. Which
explanation best supports that statement?
Options
A. Apoptosis rapidly releases intracellular contents into the
extracellular space
B. Apoptotic cells maintain membrane integrity and are
phagocytosed without leakage
C. Apoptosis involves complement activation and neutrophil
recruitment
D. Apoptotic cells recruit macrophages by releasing histamine
