Galen NSG 3280 Pathophysiology for Nurses I: Practice Test 1
(Units 1-7) - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Oxygen and carbon dioxide cross the plasma membrane easily because the membrane is:
A. Made mostly of carbohydrates
B. Impermeable to all gases
C. A single layer of protein
D. A phospholipid bilayer that small, lipid-soluble molecules can diffuse through
Correct Answer: D. A phospholipid bilayer that small, lipid-soluble molecules can diffuse
through
Rationale: The lipid bilayer lets small nonpolar molecules such as O2, CO2 and steroid hormones diffuse
freely, while ions and large polar molecules need channels or carriers. Carbohydrates on the surface
mainly serve recognition. The membrane is not a single protein layer and is permeable to gases.
2. Movement of glucose into most cells with the help of a carrier protein but without energy
expenditure is:
A. Active transport
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Endocytosis
Correct Answer: C. Facilitated diffusion
Rationale: Facilitated diffusion uses carrier proteins such as GLUT transporters to move substances
down their concentration gradient without ATP. Active transport uses energy against a gradient, osmosis
moves water, and endocytosis engulfs material in vesicles.
3. The liver can regenerate after partial resection because hepatocytes are:
A. Permanent cells
B. Labile cells that always divide
C. Nonliving cells
D. Stable (quiescent) cells that can re-enter the cell cycle
Correct Answer: D. Stable (quiescent) cells that can re-enter the cell cycle
Rationale: Stable cells normally rest in G0 but can divide when stimulated by injury or loss, which allows
liver regeneration. Permanent cells cannot divide. Labile cells, such as epithelium, divide continuously.
,4. A patient has a decrease in the size of the brain in Alzheimer disease. This represents:
A. Physiologic hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Pathologic atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C. Pathologic atrophy
Rationale: Neuron loss and shrinkage reduce brain mass, which is pathologic atrophy. Hypertrophy and
hyperplasia increase size or number. Metaplasia is a change in cell type.
5. Release of lipases in acute pancreatitis causes chalky white deposits from calcium soaps.
This is:
A. Caseous necrosis
B. Fat necrosis
C. Gangrenous necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Correct Answer: B. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Lipases break down fat into fatty acids that combine with calcium (saponification), forming
chalky deposits; this can lower serum calcium. Caseous necrosis is cheesy, gangrene involves large
areas of tissue, and coagulative necrosis preserves tissue structure.
6. Reperfusion injury after blood flow is restored to ischemic tissue is caused mainly by:
A. Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals)
B. Excess ATP production
C. Immediate tissue regeneration
D. Hypothermia
Correct Answer: A. Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals)
Rationale: Returning oxygen to damaged tissue generates free radicals and draws in neutrophils and
calcium, worsening injury, as seen after reperfusion in myocardial infarction. ATP excess and
regeneration do not explain it. Hypothermia is unrelated.
,7. Free radicals damage cells mainly through:
A. Lipid peroxidation of membranes, protein damage, and DNA mutations
B. Increasing ATP stores
C. Strengthening cell membranes
D. Promoting normal cell division
Correct Answer: A. Lipid peroxidation of membranes, protein damage, and DNA mutations
Rationale: Free radicals have an unpaired electron and react with membrane lipids, proteins and DNA,
causing chain reactions of injury. Antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and enzymes like superoxide
dismutase neutralize them. They do not increase energy or strengthen membranes.
8. Cells communicate through gap junctions, which allow:
A. Hormones to travel through the blood
B. Direct passage of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells
C. Neurotransmitters to cross synapses only
D. DNA exchange between cells
Correct Answer: B. Direct passage of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells
Rationale: Gap junctions connect cytoplasm of neighboring cells, enabling synchronized contraction in
cardiac and smooth muscle. Endocrine signaling uses the blood, and synaptic signaling uses
neurotransmitters. Gap junctions do not pass DNA.
9. Which cell type is permanent and cannot regenerate after injury, leading to scar formation?
A. Liver cells
B. Cardiac muscle cells and most neurons
C. Skin epithelial cells
D. Bone marrow cells
Correct Answer: B. Cardiac muscle cells and most neurons
Rationale: Permanent cells such as cardiomyocytes and neurons are terminally differentiated, so injury is
repaired by scar tissue. Hepatocytes are stable cells that can divide when needed, and epithelium and
marrow are labile cells that divide continuously.
, 10. The mitochondria are primarily responsible for:
A. Producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation
B. Synthesizing proteins
C. Digesting cellular debris
D. Storing genetic information for the whole cell
Correct Answer: A. Producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation
Rationale: Mitochondria generate most ATP via the electron transport chain and are central to apoptosis
and free radical production. Ribosomes synthesize protein, lysosomes digest debris, and the nucleus
stores most genetic information.
11. Coagulative necrosis, in which tissue architecture is preserved for days, is typical of:
A. Brain infarction
B. Pancreatitis
C. Myocardial infarction and other ischemic injury to solid organs except the brain
D. Tuberculosis
Correct Answer: C. Myocardial infarction and other ischemic injury to solid organs except the
brain
Rationale: In coagulative necrosis, protein denaturation preserves the cell outlines, as in heart and kidney
infarcts. The brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis. Pancreatitis causes fat necrosis, and tuberculosis
causes caseous necrosis.
12. Lipofuscin accumulation in cells of an older adult is best described as:
A. A wear-and-tear pigment from lipid peroxidation that indicates aging
B. A sign of active infection
C. A cancerous change
D. Abnormal calcium deposits
Correct Answer: A. A wear-and-tear pigment from lipid peroxidation that indicates aging
Rationale: Lipofuscin is a yellow-brown pigment of undigested material from free radical damage,
common in the heart and liver of older adults. It is harmless and not infectious or malignant. Calcium
deposits represent calcification.
(Units 1-7) - Questions with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. Oxygen and carbon dioxide cross the plasma membrane easily because the membrane is:
A. Made mostly of carbohydrates
B. Impermeable to all gases
C. A single layer of protein
D. A phospholipid bilayer that small, lipid-soluble molecules can diffuse through
Correct Answer: D. A phospholipid bilayer that small, lipid-soluble molecules can diffuse
through
Rationale: The lipid bilayer lets small nonpolar molecules such as O2, CO2 and steroid hormones diffuse
freely, while ions and large polar molecules need channels or carriers. Carbohydrates on the surface
mainly serve recognition. The membrane is not a single protein layer and is permeable to gases.
2. Movement of glucose into most cells with the help of a carrier protein but without energy
expenditure is:
A. Active transport
B. Osmosis
C. Facilitated diffusion
D. Endocytosis
Correct Answer: C. Facilitated diffusion
Rationale: Facilitated diffusion uses carrier proteins such as GLUT transporters to move substances
down their concentration gradient without ATP. Active transport uses energy against a gradient, osmosis
moves water, and endocytosis engulfs material in vesicles.
3. The liver can regenerate after partial resection because hepatocytes are:
A. Permanent cells
B. Labile cells that always divide
C. Nonliving cells
D. Stable (quiescent) cells that can re-enter the cell cycle
Correct Answer: D. Stable (quiescent) cells that can re-enter the cell cycle
Rationale: Stable cells normally rest in G0 but can divide when stimulated by injury or loss, which allows
liver regeneration. Permanent cells cannot divide. Labile cells, such as epithelium, divide continuously.
,4. A patient has a decrease in the size of the brain in Alzheimer disease. This represents:
A. Physiologic hypertrophy
B. Hyperplasia
C. Pathologic atrophy
D. Metaplasia
Correct Answer: C. Pathologic atrophy
Rationale: Neuron loss and shrinkage reduce brain mass, which is pathologic atrophy. Hypertrophy and
hyperplasia increase size or number. Metaplasia is a change in cell type.
5. Release of lipases in acute pancreatitis causes chalky white deposits from calcium soaps.
This is:
A. Caseous necrosis
B. Fat necrosis
C. Gangrenous necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Correct Answer: B. Fat necrosis
Rationale: Lipases break down fat into fatty acids that combine with calcium (saponification), forming
chalky deposits; this can lower serum calcium. Caseous necrosis is cheesy, gangrene involves large
areas of tissue, and coagulative necrosis preserves tissue structure.
6. Reperfusion injury after blood flow is restored to ischemic tissue is caused mainly by:
A. Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals)
B. Excess ATP production
C. Immediate tissue regeneration
D. Hypothermia
Correct Answer: A. Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals)
Rationale: Returning oxygen to damaged tissue generates free radicals and draws in neutrophils and
calcium, worsening injury, as seen after reperfusion in myocardial infarction. ATP excess and
regeneration do not explain it. Hypothermia is unrelated.
,7. Free radicals damage cells mainly through:
A. Lipid peroxidation of membranes, protein damage, and DNA mutations
B. Increasing ATP stores
C. Strengthening cell membranes
D. Promoting normal cell division
Correct Answer: A. Lipid peroxidation of membranes, protein damage, and DNA mutations
Rationale: Free radicals have an unpaired electron and react with membrane lipids, proteins and DNA,
causing chain reactions of injury. Antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and enzymes like superoxide
dismutase neutralize them. They do not increase energy or strengthen membranes.
8. Cells communicate through gap junctions, which allow:
A. Hormones to travel through the blood
B. Direct passage of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells
C. Neurotransmitters to cross synapses only
D. DNA exchange between cells
Correct Answer: B. Direct passage of ions and small molecules between adjacent cells
Rationale: Gap junctions connect cytoplasm of neighboring cells, enabling synchronized contraction in
cardiac and smooth muscle. Endocrine signaling uses the blood, and synaptic signaling uses
neurotransmitters. Gap junctions do not pass DNA.
9. Which cell type is permanent and cannot regenerate after injury, leading to scar formation?
A. Liver cells
B. Cardiac muscle cells and most neurons
C. Skin epithelial cells
D. Bone marrow cells
Correct Answer: B. Cardiac muscle cells and most neurons
Rationale: Permanent cells such as cardiomyocytes and neurons are terminally differentiated, so injury is
repaired by scar tissue. Hepatocytes are stable cells that can divide when needed, and epithelium and
marrow are labile cells that divide continuously.
, 10. The mitochondria are primarily responsible for:
A. Producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation
B. Synthesizing proteins
C. Digesting cellular debris
D. Storing genetic information for the whole cell
Correct Answer: A. Producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation
Rationale: Mitochondria generate most ATP via the electron transport chain and are central to apoptosis
and free radical production. Ribosomes synthesize protein, lysosomes digest debris, and the nucleus
stores most genetic information.
11. Coagulative necrosis, in which tissue architecture is preserved for days, is typical of:
A. Brain infarction
B. Pancreatitis
C. Myocardial infarction and other ischemic injury to solid organs except the brain
D. Tuberculosis
Correct Answer: C. Myocardial infarction and other ischemic injury to solid organs except the
brain
Rationale: In coagulative necrosis, protein denaturation preserves the cell outlines, as in heart and kidney
infarcts. The brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis. Pancreatitis causes fat necrosis, and tuberculosis
causes caseous necrosis.
12. Lipofuscin accumulation in cells of an older adult is best described as:
A. A wear-and-tear pigment from lipid peroxidation that indicates aging
B. A sign of active infection
C. A cancerous change
D. Abnormal calcium deposits
Correct Answer: A. A wear-and-tear pigment from lipid peroxidation that indicates aging
Rationale: Lipofuscin is a yellow-brown pigment of undigested material from free radical damage,
common in the heart and liver of older adults. It is harmless and not infectious or malignant. Calcium
deposits represent calcification.
