ADVANCED PATHO NURS 5315 EXAM 1| QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2024/2025
action potential - (
ANSWER-)The process by which excitable cells transmit information
from one to another.
How is the action potential altered by a potassium imbalance?
(Hyperkalemia) - (
ANSWER-)The ECF has more K+ ions. The membrane potential
becomes more positive (hypopolarized).
Cells become MORE
excitable. T waves peak.
QRS complexes widen.
Causes dysrhythmias, weakness, paresthesia.
{If membrane potential becomes equal to threshold potential cardiac
standstill occurs}
How is the action potential altered by a potassium imbalance?
(Hypokalemia) - (
ANSWER-)The ECF has less K+ ions. The membrane potential
becomes more negative or hyper-polarized.
The cell becomes less excitable, depolarization takes longer, and takes a
stronger stimulus.
Causes weakness, atony, cardiac dystrhythmias.
How is the action potential altered by a calcium imbalance?
(hypercalemia) - (
ANSWER-)Increase in ECF calcium to >10.5 mg/dL. It decreases the
cell permeability to calcium.
The cell becomes hyperpolarized (the distance between membrane
potential and threshold potential widens).
The cell is less excitable and take more stimulus to depolarize.
Causes: weakness, hyporeflexia, lethargy, confusion, shortened QT
wave, depressed T wave.
How is the action potential altered by a calcium imbalance?
(hypocalemia) - (
,ANSWER-)Decreased ECF calcium <9.0 mg/dL. <5.5 ionized.
Increases the cell permeability to Na+. Resting membrane potential gets
hypo- polarized.
Cells become excitable and threshold and membrane
potential get closer. Causes: tetany, hyperreflexia,
parathesias, seizures, dysrhythmias.
Atrophy - (
ANSWER-)Catabolism of intracellular organelles causing a reduction in
the intracellular contents.
The cell shrinks
-The thymus gland shrinks in childhood
-Disuse atrophy
,hypertrophy - (
ANSWER-)Hormonal stimulation in response to increased demand than
causes an increase in cellular protien.
The cell gets larger - eventually causing the whole organ to get larger.
-Skeletal muscle hypertrophy in the weight lifter.
-Cardiomegaly in response to hypertensive heart disease.
Hyperplasia - (
ANSWER-)Increase in the number of growth factor cell receptors that
activate cellular proliferation. Only happens in cell capable of mitosis.
-Increased number of cells.
-Uterine and mammary glands in pregnancy.
-Increased production of endometrial cells due to estrogen/progesterone
imbalance.
Dysplasia - (
ANSWER-)abnormal changes in cell size, shape or organization in
response to cell injury or irritation.
Not a true adaptive process.
-Cervical dysplasia.
Metaplasia - (
ANSWER-)Mature cell type is replaced by a different mature cell type.
-Reversible, but can induce metestatic change.
-Result of chronic stressor to the cell.
-Chronic smokers who loose normal ciliated epithelial cells (columnar)
and the cells are replaced with squamous cells.
-Barrett's esophagus: Normal esophogeal epithelial cells are replaced
with columnar type cells that are more like the intestine to withstand the
acidity of reflux.
hypoxic injury - (
ANSWER-)Most common type of cellular injury. Caused by lack of
oxygen, loss of hemoglobin, decrease in RBC production,
cardiopulmonary disease, ischemia and inflammation. Causes
mitochondrial disfunction ↓ decreased ATP production, ↑ anaerobic
metabolism, metabolism ceases, cell dies.
-Ischemia progresses to hypoxia. Causes intracellular enzymes to show
up in labs.
, -Creatinine kinase - indicates muscle injury.
-LDH - muscle, liver, lungs, heart, RBCs and brain.
-AST - liver cells
-ALT - liver cells
-Troponin - heart
Reperfusion injury - (
ANSWER-)Occurs when O2 supply is restored to ischemic tissues.
Causes pH alterations.
Trigger reactive oxygen intermediates to be produced causing cell
membrane damage and mitochondrial calcium overload. Causes opening
of MPTP allowing ATP to escape causing apatosis.
Free radical and Reactive Oxygen Species - (
ANSWER-)Caused by a molecule with one unpaired electron. They will
steal from another electron and cause that electron to become a free
radical. ROS can overwhelm the mitochondria (they are a free radical
subspecies)
VERIFIED ANSWERS 2024/2025
action potential - (
ANSWER-)The process by which excitable cells transmit information
from one to another.
How is the action potential altered by a potassium imbalance?
(Hyperkalemia) - (
ANSWER-)The ECF has more K+ ions. The membrane potential
becomes more positive (hypopolarized).
Cells become MORE
excitable. T waves peak.
QRS complexes widen.
Causes dysrhythmias, weakness, paresthesia.
{If membrane potential becomes equal to threshold potential cardiac
standstill occurs}
How is the action potential altered by a potassium imbalance?
(Hypokalemia) - (
ANSWER-)The ECF has less K+ ions. The membrane potential
becomes more negative or hyper-polarized.
The cell becomes less excitable, depolarization takes longer, and takes a
stronger stimulus.
Causes weakness, atony, cardiac dystrhythmias.
How is the action potential altered by a calcium imbalance?
(hypercalemia) - (
ANSWER-)Increase in ECF calcium to >10.5 mg/dL. It decreases the
cell permeability to calcium.
The cell becomes hyperpolarized (the distance between membrane
potential and threshold potential widens).
The cell is less excitable and take more stimulus to depolarize.
Causes: weakness, hyporeflexia, lethargy, confusion, shortened QT
wave, depressed T wave.
How is the action potential altered by a calcium imbalance?
(hypocalemia) - (
,ANSWER-)Decreased ECF calcium <9.0 mg/dL. <5.5 ionized.
Increases the cell permeability to Na+. Resting membrane potential gets
hypo- polarized.
Cells become excitable and threshold and membrane
potential get closer. Causes: tetany, hyperreflexia,
parathesias, seizures, dysrhythmias.
Atrophy - (
ANSWER-)Catabolism of intracellular organelles causing a reduction in
the intracellular contents.
The cell shrinks
-The thymus gland shrinks in childhood
-Disuse atrophy
,hypertrophy - (
ANSWER-)Hormonal stimulation in response to increased demand than
causes an increase in cellular protien.
The cell gets larger - eventually causing the whole organ to get larger.
-Skeletal muscle hypertrophy in the weight lifter.
-Cardiomegaly in response to hypertensive heart disease.
Hyperplasia - (
ANSWER-)Increase in the number of growth factor cell receptors that
activate cellular proliferation. Only happens in cell capable of mitosis.
-Increased number of cells.
-Uterine and mammary glands in pregnancy.
-Increased production of endometrial cells due to estrogen/progesterone
imbalance.
Dysplasia - (
ANSWER-)abnormal changes in cell size, shape or organization in
response to cell injury or irritation.
Not a true adaptive process.
-Cervical dysplasia.
Metaplasia - (
ANSWER-)Mature cell type is replaced by a different mature cell type.
-Reversible, but can induce metestatic change.
-Result of chronic stressor to the cell.
-Chronic smokers who loose normal ciliated epithelial cells (columnar)
and the cells are replaced with squamous cells.
-Barrett's esophagus: Normal esophogeal epithelial cells are replaced
with columnar type cells that are more like the intestine to withstand the
acidity of reflux.
hypoxic injury - (
ANSWER-)Most common type of cellular injury. Caused by lack of
oxygen, loss of hemoglobin, decrease in RBC production,
cardiopulmonary disease, ischemia and inflammation. Causes
mitochondrial disfunction ↓ decreased ATP production, ↑ anaerobic
metabolism, metabolism ceases, cell dies.
-Ischemia progresses to hypoxia. Causes intracellular enzymes to show
up in labs.
, -Creatinine kinase - indicates muscle injury.
-LDH - muscle, liver, lungs, heart, RBCs and brain.
-AST - liver cells
-ALT - liver cells
-Troponin - heart
Reperfusion injury - (
ANSWER-)Occurs when O2 supply is restored to ischemic tissues.
Causes pH alterations.
Trigger reactive oxygen intermediates to be produced causing cell
membrane damage and mitochondrial calcium overload. Causes opening
of MPTP allowing ATP to escape causing apatosis.
Free radical and Reactive Oxygen Species - (
ANSWER-)Caused by a molecule with one unpaired electron. They will
steal from another electron and cause that electron to become a free
radical. ROS can overwhelm the mitochondria (they are a free radical
subspecies)
