D236 Pathophysiology Week 2 Practice Exam 2026 |WGU
1. A 55-year-old male smoker exhibits a change in the lining of his bronchial tree
from ciliated columnar epithelium to stratified squamous epithelium. This is an
example of:
A. Metaplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often as a response to chronic irritation like smoking.
2. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in cell size resulting
in an increase in organ size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypertrophy involves an increase in the size of cells, not the number of cells,
which leads to organ enlargement.
,3. A patient with chronic high blood pressure shows thickening of the left
ventricular wall. This is most likely:
A. Physiological hypertrophy
B. Compensatory hyperplasia
C. Pathological hypertrophy
D. Pathological hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: The heart muscle enlarges to pump against higher resistance, which is a
pathological response to disease (hypertension).
4. Dysplasia is most accurately described as:
A. A normal adaptive process
B. Disordered cell growth with changes in size, shape, and organization
C. The replacement of one cell type with another
D. A decrease in cell size due to lack of use
Answer: B
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in cell size, shape, and organization, often
considered a precursor to cancer.
5. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Free radicals
B. Chemical agents
C. Hypoxia
D. Infectious agents
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular
injury.
, 6. Ischemia is defined as:
A. Reduced oxygen in the air
B. Reduced blood supply to a body part
C. Increased carbon dioxide in the blood
D. Total lack of oxygen in the tissue
Answer: B
Rationale: Ischemia is the narrowing of arteries or failure of the heart to pump, leading to
reduced blood flow to tissues.
7. During hypoxic injury, why does the cell swell?
A. Increase in ATP production
B. Decreased osmotic pressure
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Loss of lysosomal enzymes
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia decreases ATP, which causes the Na+/K+ pump to fail, leading to
sodium and water accumulation inside the cell.
8. Reperfusion injury is caused by the generation of:
A. Lactic acid
B. Amino acids
C. Glucose
D. Free radicals
Answer: D
Rationale: Restoring blood flow can lead to the formation of highly reactive oxygen species
(free radicals) that further damage cells.
1. A 55-year-old male smoker exhibits a change in the lining of his bronchial tree
from ciliated columnar epithelium to stratified squamous epithelium. This is an
example of:
A. Metaplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Atrophy
D. Dysplasia
Answer: A
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often as a response to chronic irritation like smoking.
2. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by an increase in cell size resulting
in an increase in organ size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Atrophy
D. Hypertrophy
Answer: D
Rationale: Hypertrophy involves an increase in the size of cells, not the number of cells,
which leads to organ enlargement.
,3. A patient with chronic high blood pressure shows thickening of the left
ventricular wall. This is most likely:
A. Physiological hypertrophy
B. Compensatory hyperplasia
C. Pathological hypertrophy
D. Pathological hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: The heart muscle enlarges to pump against higher resistance, which is a
pathological response to disease (hypertension).
4. Dysplasia is most accurately described as:
A. A normal adaptive process
B. Disordered cell growth with changes in size, shape, and organization
C. The replacement of one cell type with another
D. A decrease in cell size due to lack of use
Answer: B
Rationale: Dysplasia refers to abnormal changes in cell size, shape, and organization, often
considered a precursor to cancer.
5. What is the most common cause of cellular injury?
A. Free radicals
B. Chemical agents
C. Hypoxia
D. Infectious agents
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia, or lack of sufficient oxygen, is the most common cause of cellular
injury.
, 6. Ischemia is defined as:
A. Reduced oxygen in the air
B. Reduced blood supply to a body part
C. Increased carbon dioxide in the blood
D. Total lack of oxygen in the tissue
Answer: B
Rationale: Ischemia is the narrowing of arteries or failure of the heart to pump, leading to
reduced blood flow to tissues.
7. During hypoxic injury, why does the cell swell?
A. Increase in ATP production
B. Decreased osmotic pressure
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Loss of lysosomal enzymes
Answer: C
Rationale: Hypoxia decreases ATP, which causes the Na+/K+ pump to fail, leading to
sodium and water accumulation inside the cell.
8. Reperfusion injury is caused by the generation of:
A. Lactic acid
B. Amino acids
C. Glucose
D. Free radicals
Answer: D
Rationale: Restoring blood flow can lead to the formation of highly reactive oxygen species
(free radicals) that further damage cells.
