HESI A2 Anatomy and Physiology Practice
Test 2026 (Latest) | Questions & Answers with
Rationales
What is histology? - The study of tissues
What is a tissue? - A group of cells that act together to perform a specific function.
What are the fundamental tissues? - Epithelial
Connective
Muscle
Nerve
(Elephants Can Make News)
What is the function of epithelial cells? - Cover, line, and protect the body and the
internal organs.
What is the function of connective tissue? - Framework of the body. Provides support
and structure to organs.
What is neuroglia? - The neurons and connective tissue cells that compose nerve
tissue.
What ability does muscle tissue have? - Ability to contract and shorten.
What is muscle tissue classified as? - Voluntary(skeletal muscles) and
involuntary(smooth & cardiac)
What is meiosis? - The cell division that takes place in the gonads, i.e. the ovaries and
testes.
What two layers compose the skin? - Epidermis and dermis.
What is the epidermis? - The outermost protective layer of dead keratinized epithelial
cells.
What is the dermis? - The underlying layer of connective tissue with blood vessels,
nerve endings, and the associated skin tissues.
What are the layers of the epidermis? - Corneum
Lucidum
Granulosum
Germivatum ( basale & spinosum)
Mnemonic: Candy Lions Growl Great.
What does the protein pigment melanin protect against? - Radiation from the Sun
What is the dermis composed of? - Fibrous connective tissue with nerve endings, blood
vessels, sensory nerve endings, hair follicles, and glands.
What are the 2 types of sweat glands? - ecrine & apocrine
What do ecrine sweat glands produce? - Sweat. Regulate body temperature.
What do apocrine sweat glands produce? - Secretions contain bits of cytoplasm from
cells, attracting bacteria that produces body odor.
What do sebaceous glands secrete? - They secrete sebum through the hair follicles,
which lubricates the skin and prevents drying.
What secretion produces oil? - Holocrine secretion.
What are sebaceous glands prone to during adolescence? - Becoming clogged and
attracting bacteria.
What protein composes the hair and skin? - Keratin
What makes the body's framework? - Bone, cartilage, ligaments & joints.
, HESI A2 Anatomy and Physiology Practice
Test 2026 (Latest) | Questions & Answers with
Rationales
What are the functions of the skeletal system? - Support, movement, blood cell
formation, protection of internal organs, detoxification, muscle attachment, mineral
storage. *A MIME BATHED SEALS SINGING "MY PONY"*
How are bones classified? - By shape.
Long
Short
flat
irregular
sesamoid
*LEMURS SING SALSA FOR INDIANS*
What is the name for the cells that compose compact bone? - Osteoblasts
What occurs to osteoblasts when they become fixed in the dense bone matrix? - They
stop dividing but continue to maintain body tissues as osteocytes.
How many bones make up the axial skeleton? - 28 bones of the skull. 14-facial, 14-
cranium.
How many bones make the facial skeleton? - 2 nasal bones
2 maxillary bones
2 zygomatic bones
1 mandible
2 palatine bones
1 vomer
2 lacrimal bones
2 inferior nasal bones
What are the bones of the cranium? - single occipital
frontal
ethmoid
sphenoid
paired parietal
temporal
ossicles
What bone structures are in the ossicles (ears) ? - malleus, incus, stapes
How many bones make the skeletal column? - 33 bones
How many cervical vertebrae in the skeletal column? - 7
How many thoracic vertebrae in the skeletal column? - 12
How many lumbar vertebrae? - 5
How many sacral vertebrae? - 5
How many coccygeal vertebrae? - 1-the tailbone
What makes up the final part of the axial skeleton? - the thorax
the sternum
12 pairs of ribs.
What makes up the appendicular skeleton? - the bones of the girdle and limbs
What bones make the upper appendicular skeleton? - pectoral & shoulder girdle
clavicle
Test 2026 (Latest) | Questions & Answers with
Rationales
What is histology? - The study of tissues
What is a tissue? - A group of cells that act together to perform a specific function.
What are the fundamental tissues? - Epithelial
Connective
Muscle
Nerve
(Elephants Can Make News)
What is the function of epithelial cells? - Cover, line, and protect the body and the
internal organs.
What is the function of connective tissue? - Framework of the body. Provides support
and structure to organs.
What is neuroglia? - The neurons and connective tissue cells that compose nerve
tissue.
What ability does muscle tissue have? - Ability to contract and shorten.
What is muscle tissue classified as? - Voluntary(skeletal muscles) and
involuntary(smooth & cardiac)
What is meiosis? - The cell division that takes place in the gonads, i.e. the ovaries and
testes.
What two layers compose the skin? - Epidermis and dermis.
What is the epidermis? - The outermost protective layer of dead keratinized epithelial
cells.
What is the dermis? - The underlying layer of connective tissue with blood vessels,
nerve endings, and the associated skin tissues.
What are the layers of the epidermis? - Corneum
Lucidum
Granulosum
Germivatum ( basale & spinosum)
Mnemonic: Candy Lions Growl Great.
What does the protein pigment melanin protect against? - Radiation from the Sun
What is the dermis composed of? - Fibrous connective tissue with nerve endings, blood
vessels, sensory nerve endings, hair follicles, and glands.
What are the 2 types of sweat glands? - ecrine & apocrine
What do ecrine sweat glands produce? - Sweat. Regulate body temperature.
What do apocrine sweat glands produce? - Secretions contain bits of cytoplasm from
cells, attracting bacteria that produces body odor.
What do sebaceous glands secrete? - They secrete sebum through the hair follicles,
which lubricates the skin and prevents drying.
What secretion produces oil? - Holocrine secretion.
What are sebaceous glands prone to during adolescence? - Becoming clogged and
attracting bacteria.
What protein composes the hair and skin? - Keratin
What makes the body's framework? - Bone, cartilage, ligaments & joints.
, HESI A2 Anatomy and Physiology Practice
Test 2026 (Latest) | Questions & Answers with
Rationales
What are the functions of the skeletal system? - Support, movement, blood cell
formation, protection of internal organs, detoxification, muscle attachment, mineral
storage. *A MIME BATHED SEALS SINGING "MY PONY"*
How are bones classified? - By shape.
Long
Short
flat
irregular
sesamoid
*LEMURS SING SALSA FOR INDIANS*
What is the name for the cells that compose compact bone? - Osteoblasts
What occurs to osteoblasts when they become fixed in the dense bone matrix? - They
stop dividing but continue to maintain body tissues as osteocytes.
How many bones make up the axial skeleton? - 28 bones of the skull. 14-facial, 14-
cranium.
How many bones make the facial skeleton? - 2 nasal bones
2 maxillary bones
2 zygomatic bones
1 mandible
2 palatine bones
1 vomer
2 lacrimal bones
2 inferior nasal bones
What are the bones of the cranium? - single occipital
frontal
ethmoid
sphenoid
paired parietal
temporal
ossicles
What bone structures are in the ossicles (ears) ? - malleus, incus, stapes
How many bones make the skeletal column? - 33 bones
How many cervical vertebrae in the skeletal column? - 7
How many thoracic vertebrae in the skeletal column? - 12
How many lumbar vertebrae? - 5
How many sacral vertebrae? - 5
How many coccygeal vertebrae? - 1-the tailbone
What makes up the final part of the axial skeleton? - the thorax
the sternum
12 pairs of ribs.
What makes up the appendicular skeleton? - the bones of the girdle and limbs
What bones make the upper appendicular skeleton? - pectoral & shoulder girdle
clavicle
