WGU D115: ADVANCED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY GRADUATE LEVEL | 100%
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
1. Which of the following best describes the primary mechanism of irreversible
cell injury?
A. Decreased ATP synthesis
B. Mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT) with
cytochrome c release
C. Endoplasmic reticulum swelling
D. Ribosomal disaggregation
ANSWER : B
2. A 58-year-old patient presents with ischemic injury. Which cellular change
occurs FIRST during ischemia?
A. Lysosomal rupture
B. Mitochondrial swelling
C. Nuclear chromatin clumping
D. Reduction in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP depletion
ANSWER : D
3. Which of the following is the hallmark morphologic feature of apoptosis that
distinguishes it from necrosis?
A. Cell swelling and membrane rupture
B. Inflammatory infiltrate
C. Cell shrinkage with nuclear chromatin condensation and apoptotic
body formation
, D. Mitochondrial vacuolation
ANSWER : C
4. In the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, which protein acts as the 'guardian of
the mitochondria' by preventing cytochrome c release?
A. Bax
B. Bcl-2
C. Caspase-9
D. Apaf-1
ANSWER : B
5. Free radical injury involves which of the following primary mechanisms?
A. Protein phosphorylation
B. ATP hydrolysis
C. Lipid peroxidation of cell membranes
D. Glycosylation of nuclear proteins
ANSWER : C
6. Which cellular adaptation is defined as a reversible increase in the size of
cells leading to increased organ size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
ANSWER : C
7. Which type of necrosis is characteristically seen in tuberculosis?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
ANSWER : C
,8. Reperfusion injury following ischemia is primarily mediated by:
A. Complement activation only
B. Reactive oxygen species generated upon restoration of oxygen
supply
C. Neutrophil degranulation alone
D. Release of lysosomal enzymes
ANSWER : B
9. Which of the following is a classic example of pathologic calcification
occurring in dead or dying tissue?
A. Metastatic calcification
B. Dystrophic calcification
C. Ossification
D. Chondrocalcinosis
ANSWER : B
10. The p53 tumor suppressor gene primarily functions to:
A. Promote cell cycle progression through G1/S checkpoint
B. Inhibit DNA repair mechanisms
C. Arrest the cell cycle or induce apoptosis in response to DNA damage
D. Enhance telomerase activity
ANSWER : C
11. Which mediator is the primary cause of increased vascular permeability in
the immediate transient phase of acute inflammation?
A. Leukotriene B4
B. Histamine released from mast cells
C. Interleukin-1
D. Complement C3a only
ANSWER : B
, 12. The process by which leukocytes adhere firmly to endothelium via ICAM-1
and VCAM-1 interactions is termed:
A. Rolling
B. Transmigration
C. Firm adhesion
D. Chemotaxis
ANSWER : C
13. Complement fragment C5a contributes to acute inflammation by:
A. Directly lysing bacteria
B. Acting as an opsonin only
C. Promoting chemotaxis of neutrophils and increasing vascular
permeability
D. Inhibiting mast cell degranulation
ANSWER : C
14. In chronic granulomatous inflammation, the epithelioid cells are derived
from:
A. Neutrophils
B. Activated macrophages
C. Lymphocytes
D. Fibroblasts
ANSWER : B
15. Prostaglandins contribute to the cardinal sign of pain (dolor) in
inflammation primarily through:
A. Direct depolarization of nociceptors
B. Sensitization of nociceptors to bradykinin and other stimuli
C. Inhibition of substance P
D. Activation of GABAergic pathways
ANSWER : B
VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
1. Which of the following best describes the primary mechanism of irreversible
cell injury?
A. Decreased ATP synthesis
B. Mitochondrial membrane permeability transition (MPT) with
cytochrome c release
C. Endoplasmic reticulum swelling
D. Ribosomal disaggregation
ANSWER : B
2. A 58-year-old patient presents with ischemic injury. Which cellular change
occurs FIRST during ischemia?
A. Lysosomal rupture
B. Mitochondrial swelling
C. Nuclear chromatin clumping
D. Reduction in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP depletion
ANSWER : D
3. Which of the following is the hallmark morphologic feature of apoptosis that
distinguishes it from necrosis?
A. Cell swelling and membrane rupture
B. Inflammatory infiltrate
C. Cell shrinkage with nuclear chromatin condensation and apoptotic
body formation
, D. Mitochondrial vacuolation
ANSWER : C
4. In the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, which protein acts as the 'guardian of
the mitochondria' by preventing cytochrome c release?
A. Bax
B. Bcl-2
C. Caspase-9
D. Apaf-1
ANSWER : B
5. Free radical injury involves which of the following primary mechanisms?
A. Protein phosphorylation
B. ATP hydrolysis
C. Lipid peroxidation of cell membranes
D. Glycosylation of nuclear proteins
ANSWER : C
6. Which cellular adaptation is defined as a reversible increase in the size of
cells leading to increased organ size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Metaplasia
C. Hypertrophy
D. Dysplasia
ANSWER : C
7. Which type of necrosis is characteristically seen in tuberculosis?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Coagulative necrosis
C. Caseous necrosis
D. Fat necrosis
ANSWER : C
,8. Reperfusion injury following ischemia is primarily mediated by:
A. Complement activation only
B. Reactive oxygen species generated upon restoration of oxygen
supply
C. Neutrophil degranulation alone
D. Release of lysosomal enzymes
ANSWER : B
9. Which of the following is a classic example of pathologic calcification
occurring in dead or dying tissue?
A. Metastatic calcification
B. Dystrophic calcification
C. Ossification
D. Chondrocalcinosis
ANSWER : B
10. The p53 tumor suppressor gene primarily functions to:
A. Promote cell cycle progression through G1/S checkpoint
B. Inhibit DNA repair mechanisms
C. Arrest the cell cycle or induce apoptosis in response to DNA damage
D. Enhance telomerase activity
ANSWER : C
11. Which mediator is the primary cause of increased vascular permeability in
the immediate transient phase of acute inflammation?
A. Leukotriene B4
B. Histamine released from mast cells
C. Interleukin-1
D. Complement C3a only
ANSWER : B
, 12. The process by which leukocytes adhere firmly to endothelium via ICAM-1
and VCAM-1 interactions is termed:
A. Rolling
B. Transmigration
C. Firm adhesion
D. Chemotaxis
ANSWER : C
13. Complement fragment C5a contributes to acute inflammation by:
A. Directly lysing bacteria
B. Acting as an opsonin only
C. Promoting chemotaxis of neutrophils and increasing vascular
permeability
D. Inhibiting mast cell degranulation
ANSWER : C
14. In chronic granulomatous inflammation, the epithelioid cells are derived
from:
A. Neutrophils
B. Activated macrophages
C. Lymphocytes
D. Fibroblasts
ANSWER : B
15. Prostaglandins contribute to the cardinal sign of pain (dolor) in
inflammation primarily through:
A. Direct depolarization of nociceptors
B. Sensitization of nociceptors to bradykinin and other stimuli
C. Inhibition of substance P
D. Activation of GABAergic pathways
ANSWER : B
