1
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - PRACTICE EXAM
2026/2027 | EXAM PREP | 200 VERIFIED Q&A |
DETAILED RATIONALES | NGN-ALIGNED |
PASS GUARANTEED – A+ GRADED
SECTION I: CELLULAR PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - Questions 1-20
Q1: Cellular adaptation
The student is reviewing cellular adaptations. Which type of adaptation involves an increase in the
number of cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, often in response
to hormonal stimulation or chronic irritation. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size. Atrophy is a
decrease in cell size. Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another.
[100% CORRECT]
Q2: Hypertrophy
The student is reviewing hypertrophy. Which condition is an example of physiologic hypertrophy?
A. Cardiac hypertrophy due to hypertension
B. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy from exercise
C. Uterine hypertrophy during pregnancy
D. Both B and C
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Physiologic hypertrophy occurs in response to normal demands, such as skeletal muscle
growth from exercise and uterine enlargement during pregnancy. Cardiac hypertrophy due to
hypertension is pathologic. [100% CORRECT]
Q3: Atrophy
The student is reviewing atrophy. Which is a cause of disuse atrophy?
A. Immobilization of a limb
B. Increased workload
,2
C. Hormonal stimulation
D. Nutritional excess
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Disuse atrophy results from reduced workload or immobilization, leading to a decrease in
cell size and number. Increased workload causes hypertrophy. [100% CORRECT]
Q4: Metaplasia
The student is reviewing metaplasia. What is metaplasia?
A. Increase in cell size
B. Reversible replacement of one cell type with another
C. Irreversible cell death
D. Abnormal cell growth
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another, often in
response to chronic irritation. For example, squamous metaplasia in smokers' airways. [100%
CORRECT]
Q5: Dysplasia
The student is reviewing dysplasia. What is dysplasia?
A. Disordered cellular growth
B. Increase in cell number
C. Decrease in cell size
D. Programmed cell death
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dysplasia is disordered, atypical cellular growth that may be reversible or may progress to
neoplasia. It is not a normal adaptation. [100% CORRECT]
Q6: Cell injury
The student is reviewing cell injury. Which is a reversible cause of cell injury?
A. Ischemia
B. ATP depletion
C. Hypoxia
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ischemia, ATP depletion, and hypoxia can all cause reversible cell injury if the stress is
removed before irreversible damage occurs. Prolonged ischemia leads to irreversible injury and cell
death. [100% CORRECT]
,3
Q7: Free radicals
The student is reviewing free radicals. How do free radicals cause cell injury?
A. Lipid peroxidation
B. Protein oxidation
C. DNA damage
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Free radicals cause cell injury through lipid peroxidation of membranes, oxidation of
proteins, and damage to DNA. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. [100% CORRECT]
Q8: Hypoxic injury
The student is reviewing hypoxic injury. What is the primary mechanism of hypoxic cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Increased ATP
C. Calcium efflux
D. Decreased sodium
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to decreased oxidative phosphorylation and ATP depletion. This causes
failure of the sodium-potassium pump, leading to cell swelling and eventually cell death. [100%
CORRECT]
Q9: Reperfusion injury
The student is reviewing reperfusion injury. What is reperfusion injury?
A. Injury caused by restoring blood flow to ischemic tissue
B. Injury caused by lack of blood flow
C. Injury caused by infection
D. Injury caused by toxins
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Reperfusion injury occurs when blood flow is restored to ischemic tissue, leading to
oxidative stress, calcium overload, and inflammation, which can cause further damage. [100%
CORRECT]
Q10: Cellular aging
The student is reviewing cellular aging. What is the role of telomeres in aging?
A. They protect chromosome ends and shorten with each division
B. They lengthen with each division
C. They have no role in aging
D. They cause cancer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at chromosome ends that protect against
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degradation. They shorten with each cell division, leading to cellular senescence and aging. [100%
CORRECT]
Q11: Apoptosis
The student is reviewing apoptosis. What is apoptosis?
A. Programmed cell death
B. Accidental cell death
C. Necrosis
D. Inflammation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death, a normal physiological process that eliminates
unwanted or damaged cells without causing inflammation. [100% CORRECT]
Q12: Necrosis
The student is reviewing necrosis. What is necrosis?
A. Programmed cell death
B. Uncontrolled cell death with inflammation
C. Normal cell turnover
D. Cell growth
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Necrosis is uncontrolled cell death caused by injury, leading to cell swelling, rupture, and
inflammation. [100% CORRECT]
Q13: Coagulative necrosis
The student is reviewing types of necrosis. Which type of necrosis is typical of ischemic injury in the
heart?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in ischemic injury to solid organs like the heart, kidney, and
spleen. The tissue architecture is preserved temporarily. [100% CORRECT]
Q14: Liquefactive necrosis
The student is reviewing liquefactive necrosis. Which condition is associated with liquefactive
necrosis?
A. Myocardial infarction
B. Brain infarction
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - PRACTICE EXAM
2026/2027 | EXAM PREP | 200 VERIFIED Q&A |
DETAILED RATIONALES | NGN-ALIGNED |
PASS GUARANTEED – A+ GRADED
SECTION I: CELLULAR PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - Questions 1-20
Q1: Cellular adaptation
The student is reviewing cellular adaptations. Which type of adaptation involves an increase in the
number of cells?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, often in response
to hormonal stimulation or chronic irritation. Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size. Atrophy is a
decrease in cell size. Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another.
[100% CORRECT]
Q2: Hypertrophy
The student is reviewing hypertrophy. Which condition is an example of physiologic hypertrophy?
A. Cardiac hypertrophy due to hypertension
B. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy from exercise
C. Uterine hypertrophy during pregnancy
D. Both B and C
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Physiologic hypertrophy occurs in response to normal demands, such as skeletal muscle
growth from exercise and uterine enlargement during pregnancy. Cardiac hypertrophy due to
hypertension is pathologic. [100% CORRECT]
Q3: Atrophy
The student is reviewing atrophy. Which is a cause of disuse atrophy?
A. Immobilization of a limb
B. Increased workload
,2
C. Hormonal stimulation
D. Nutritional excess
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Disuse atrophy results from reduced workload or immobilization, leading to a decrease in
cell size and number. Increased workload causes hypertrophy. [100% CORRECT]
Q4: Metaplasia
The student is reviewing metaplasia. What is metaplasia?
A. Increase in cell size
B. Reversible replacement of one cell type with another
C. Irreversible cell death
D. Abnormal cell growth
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type with another, often in
response to chronic irritation. For example, squamous metaplasia in smokers' airways. [100%
CORRECT]
Q5: Dysplasia
The student is reviewing dysplasia. What is dysplasia?
A. Disordered cellular growth
B. Increase in cell number
C. Decrease in cell size
D. Programmed cell death
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Dysplasia is disordered, atypical cellular growth that may be reversible or may progress to
neoplasia. It is not a normal adaptation. [100% CORRECT]
Q6: Cell injury
The student is reviewing cell injury. Which is a reversible cause of cell injury?
A. Ischemia
B. ATP depletion
C. Hypoxia
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Ischemia, ATP depletion, and hypoxia can all cause reversible cell injury if the stress is
removed before irreversible damage occurs. Prolonged ischemia leads to irreversible injury and cell
death. [100% CORRECT]
,3
Q7: Free radicals
The student is reviewing free radicals. How do free radicals cause cell injury?
A. Lipid peroxidation
B. Protein oxidation
C. DNA damage
D. All of the above
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Free radicals cause cell injury through lipid peroxidation of membranes, oxidation of
proteins, and damage to DNA. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. [100% CORRECT]
Q8: Hypoxic injury
The student is reviewing hypoxic injury. What is the primary mechanism of hypoxic cell injury?
A. ATP depletion
B. Increased ATP
C. Calcium efflux
D. Decreased sodium
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to decreased oxidative phosphorylation and ATP depletion. This causes
failure of the sodium-potassium pump, leading to cell swelling and eventually cell death. [100%
CORRECT]
Q9: Reperfusion injury
The student is reviewing reperfusion injury. What is reperfusion injury?
A. Injury caused by restoring blood flow to ischemic tissue
B. Injury caused by lack of blood flow
C. Injury caused by infection
D. Injury caused by toxins
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Reperfusion injury occurs when blood flow is restored to ischemic tissue, leading to
oxidative stress, calcium overload, and inflammation, which can cause further damage. [100%
CORRECT]
Q10: Cellular aging
The student is reviewing cellular aging. What is the role of telomeres in aging?
A. They protect chromosome ends and shorten with each division
B. They lengthen with each division
C. They have no role in aging
D. They cause cancer
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at chromosome ends that protect against
, 4
degradation. They shorten with each cell division, leading to cellular senescence and aging. [100%
CORRECT]
Q11: Apoptosis
The student is reviewing apoptosis. What is apoptosis?
A. Programmed cell death
B. Accidental cell death
C. Necrosis
D. Inflammation
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Apoptosis is programmed cell death, a normal physiological process that eliminates
unwanted or damaged cells without causing inflammation. [100% CORRECT]
Q12: Necrosis
The student is reviewing necrosis. What is necrosis?
A. Programmed cell death
B. Uncontrolled cell death with inflammation
C. Normal cell turnover
D. Cell growth
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Necrosis is uncontrolled cell death caused by injury, leading to cell swelling, rupture, and
inflammation. [100% CORRECT]
Q13: Coagulative necrosis
The student is reviewing types of necrosis. Which type of necrosis is typical of ischemic injury in the
heart?
A. Coagulative necrosis
B. Liquefactive necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis occurs in ischemic injury to solid organs like the heart, kidney, and
spleen. The tissue architecture is preserved temporarily. [100% CORRECT]
Q14: Liquefactive necrosis
The student is reviewing liquefactive necrosis. Which condition is associated with liquefactive
necrosis?
A. Myocardial infarction
B. Brain infarction
