WGU D115 OA ADVANCED
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2 VERSIONS
Practice Exam 2026| 250 Most Tested
Questions Collection & Verified
Detailed Answers | Tutor Verified
Success Exam) Graded A+
Cellular Injury, Inflammation & Immunology
1. A patient experiences prolonged tissue hypoxia. Which cellular
change occurs earliest as ATP production declines?
A. Increased protein synthesis
B. Increased oxidative phosphorylation
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Increased intracellular calcium removal
Answer: C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
Rationale: ATP depletion impairs the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, causing
intracellular sodium and water accumulation and cellular swelling.
2. Which mechanism most directly causes reversible cellular injury
during hypoxia?
A. DNA fragmentation
B. ATP depletion
C. Lysosomal rupture
D. Plasma membrane destruction
,Answer: B. ATP depletion
Rationale: Reduced oxidative phosphorylation decreases ATP,
disrupting ion pumps and cellular metabolism.
3. Which finding is most characteristic of irreversible cellular injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Fatty change
C. Severe mitochondrial dysfunction with membrane damage
D. Glycogen depletion
Answer: C. Severe mitochondrial dysfunction with membrane
damage
Rationale: Irreversible injury involves inability to reverse
mitochondrial dysfunction and severe membrane damage.
4. Reactive oxygen species cause cellular injury primarily by:
A. Increasing ATP production
B. Oxidizing lipids, proteins, and DNA
C. Blocking all inflammatory mediators
D. Increasing cellular repair
Answer: B. Oxidizing lipids, proteins, and DNA
Rationale: Free radicals damage cellular membranes through lipid
peroxidation and can modify proteins and nucleic acids.
5. Which enzyme converts superoxide radicals into hydrogen
peroxide?
A. Catalase
B. Superoxide dismutase
,C. Myeloperoxidase
D. Cyclooxygenase
Answer: B. Superoxide dismutase
Rationale: Superoxide dismutase converts superoxide into hydrogen
peroxide, which can subsequently be detoxified by catalase and
glutathione peroxidase.
6. A patient develops tissue damage after restoration of blood flow
to an ischemic limb. Which mechanism best explains this
phenomenon?
A. Decreased oxygen delivery
B. Reperfusion-generated reactive oxygen species
C. Reduced neutrophil activity
D. Decreased intracellular calcium
Answer: B. Reperfusion-generated reactive oxygen species
Rationale: Reperfusion can generate ROS and inflammatory
responses that worsen tissue injury.
7. Which cellular process is characterized by programmed, energy-
dependent cell death without substantial inflammation?
A. Necrosis
B. Autolysis
C. Apoptosis
D. Gangrene
Answer: C. Apoptosis
Rationale: Apoptosis is regulated cell death that generally preserves
membrane integrity and produces minimal inflammation.
, 8. Activation of caspases is most closely associated with:
A. Apoptosis
B. Cellular hypertrophy
C. Edema
D. Necrotic swelling
Answer: A. Apoptosis
Rationale: Caspases are proteolytic enzymes central to the execution
phase of programmed cell death.
9. Which type of necrosis is classically associated with myocardial
infarction?
A. Liquefactive
B. Caseous
C. Coagulative
D. Fat
Answer: C. Coagulative
Rationale: Ischemic infarction of most solid organs produces
coagulative necrosis; the brain is the major exception.
10. Liquefactive necrosis is most characteristic of:
A. Brain infarction
B. Renal infarction
C. Myocardial infarction
D. Splenic infarction
Answer: A. Brain infarction
Rationale: Enzymatic digestion of dead neural tissue produces
liquefaction.
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY EXAM 2 VERSIONS
Practice Exam 2026| 250 Most Tested
Questions Collection & Verified
Detailed Answers | Tutor Verified
Success Exam) Graded A+
Cellular Injury, Inflammation & Immunology
1. A patient experiences prolonged tissue hypoxia. Which cellular
change occurs earliest as ATP production declines?
A. Increased protein synthesis
B. Increased oxidative phosphorylation
C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
D. Increased intracellular calcium removal
Answer: C. Failure of the sodium-potassium pump
Rationale: ATP depletion impairs the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, causing
intracellular sodium and water accumulation and cellular swelling.
2. Which mechanism most directly causes reversible cellular injury
during hypoxia?
A. DNA fragmentation
B. ATP depletion
C. Lysosomal rupture
D. Plasma membrane destruction
,Answer: B. ATP depletion
Rationale: Reduced oxidative phosphorylation decreases ATP,
disrupting ion pumps and cellular metabolism.
3. Which finding is most characteristic of irreversible cellular injury?
A. Cellular swelling
B. Fatty change
C. Severe mitochondrial dysfunction with membrane damage
D. Glycogen depletion
Answer: C. Severe mitochondrial dysfunction with membrane
damage
Rationale: Irreversible injury involves inability to reverse
mitochondrial dysfunction and severe membrane damage.
4. Reactive oxygen species cause cellular injury primarily by:
A. Increasing ATP production
B. Oxidizing lipids, proteins, and DNA
C. Blocking all inflammatory mediators
D. Increasing cellular repair
Answer: B. Oxidizing lipids, proteins, and DNA
Rationale: Free radicals damage cellular membranes through lipid
peroxidation and can modify proteins and nucleic acids.
5. Which enzyme converts superoxide radicals into hydrogen
peroxide?
A. Catalase
B. Superoxide dismutase
,C. Myeloperoxidase
D. Cyclooxygenase
Answer: B. Superoxide dismutase
Rationale: Superoxide dismutase converts superoxide into hydrogen
peroxide, which can subsequently be detoxified by catalase and
glutathione peroxidase.
6. A patient develops tissue damage after restoration of blood flow
to an ischemic limb. Which mechanism best explains this
phenomenon?
A. Decreased oxygen delivery
B. Reperfusion-generated reactive oxygen species
C. Reduced neutrophil activity
D. Decreased intracellular calcium
Answer: B. Reperfusion-generated reactive oxygen species
Rationale: Reperfusion can generate ROS and inflammatory
responses that worsen tissue injury.
7. Which cellular process is characterized by programmed, energy-
dependent cell death without substantial inflammation?
A. Necrosis
B. Autolysis
C. Apoptosis
D. Gangrene
Answer: C. Apoptosis
Rationale: Apoptosis is regulated cell death that generally preserves
membrane integrity and produces minimal inflammation.
, 8. Activation of caspases is most closely associated with:
A. Apoptosis
B. Cellular hypertrophy
C. Edema
D. Necrotic swelling
Answer: A. Apoptosis
Rationale: Caspases are proteolytic enzymes central to the execution
phase of programmed cell death.
9. Which type of necrosis is classically associated with myocardial
infarction?
A. Liquefactive
B. Caseous
C. Coagulative
D. Fat
Answer: C. Coagulative
Rationale: Ischemic infarction of most solid organs produces
coagulative necrosis; the brain is the major exception.
10. Liquefactive necrosis is most characteristic of:
A. Brain infarction
B. Renal infarction
C. Myocardial infarction
D. Splenic infarction
Answer: A. Brain infarction
Rationale: Enzymatic digestion of dead neural tissue produces
liquefaction.
