Robbins & Cotran 10th Ed. Pathology Test Bank | Chapter-
by-Chapter Questions & Verified Solutions
Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease
10th Edition
• Author(s)Vinay Kumar; Abul K. Abbas; Jon C. Aster
Multiple-Choice Questions: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis
of Disease, 10th Ed. - Chapter 1
1. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A 52-year-old patient is diagnosed with Huntington disease.
Recent research using neurons created from the patient's skin
cells shows a buildup of toxic protein aggregates. This is most
directly linked to the age-related impairment of which
fundamental cellular process?
A. Receptor-mediated endocytosis
B. DNA replication
C. Autophagy
D. Glycolysis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The accumulation of toxic protein aggregates is a
hallmark of impaired autophagy, the essential cellular
,housekeeping process responsible for degrading damaged
organelles and misfolded proteins. In Huntington disease,
research indicates that the aging process gradually impairs
autophagy, leading to the death of specific neurons.
• A: Receptor-mediated endocytosis is concerned with
uptake, not degradation, of extracellular material.
• B: DNA replication is unrelated to the clearance of
cytoplasmic protein aggregates.
• D: Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway for energy production.
Teaching Point: Autophagy is a crucial recycling and
quality-control process; its failure is implicated in
neurodegenerative diseases.
2. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A laboratory is analyzing gene expression profiles in different
breast cancer subtypes. To ensure accurate measurement of
gene expression levels across various tumor samples, the
results should be normalized using genes that are consistently
expressed. Which of the following best describes the required
characteristic of these genes?
A. Genes with high variability in expression that reflect cellular
stress.
B. Genes that are only expressed in malignant tissues.
C. Genes crucial for maintaining basic cellular functions and
consistent across tissues.
D. Genes involved in cell cycle progression and proliferation.
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Housekeeping genes (HKGs) are defined as those
constitutively expressed in all cells to maintain basic cellular
functions, making them ideal stable references for normalizing
gene expression data in experiments comparing different
tissues or states.
• A: Variable genes are unsuitable as they introduce error
and invalidate comparisons.
• B: Genes exclusive to malignancy would not be present in
normal cells for comparison.
• D: Proliferation genes are not consistently expressed
across all cell types or states.
Teaching Point: Housekeeping genes provide a stable
baseline for reliable gene expression analysis by controlling
for technical variability.
3. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A researcher is performing a Western blot to compare protein
levels in normal and diseased kidney tissue samples. To correct
for differences in the amount of protein loaded into each lane,
the researcher plans to use glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a loading control. What is a critical
assumption underlying this method?
A. GAPDH expression is significantly upregulated in the diseased
tissue.
B. GAPDH expression remains stable and is unaffected by the
disease state.
, C. GAPDH is only expressed in the mitochondria of kidney cells.
D. GAPDH is a membrane-bound protein.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The validity of using any housekeeping protein for
normalization depends on its expression being constant across
the samples being compared. Studies have shown that
commonly used proteins like GAPDH can vary under different
physiological and pathological conditions, which would
compromise the analysis.
• A: Upregulation would make it a poor control, invalidating
the comparison.
• C: GAPDH is a glycolytic enzyme present in the cytoplasm.
• D: GAPDH is not a membrane-bound protein.
Teaching Point: The expression of common housekeeping
proteins must be verified to be stable in the specific
experimental context, as it is not a universal guarantee.
4. Chapter 1: The Plasma Membrane
A patient with a genetic disorder presents with severe bleeding
episodes. Laboratory studies indicate that platelets from this
patient lack the ability to provide a necessary surface for the
assembly of clotting factors. Which phospholipid, normally
found on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane but
exposed on activated platelets, is critical for this procoagulant
function?
A. Phosphatidylinositol
by-Chapter Questions & Verified Solutions
Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease
10th Edition
• Author(s)Vinay Kumar; Abul K. Abbas; Jon C. Aster
Multiple-Choice Questions: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis
of Disease, 10th Ed. - Chapter 1
1. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A 52-year-old patient is diagnosed with Huntington disease.
Recent research using neurons created from the patient's skin
cells shows a buildup of toxic protein aggregates. This is most
directly linked to the age-related impairment of which
fundamental cellular process?
A. Receptor-mediated endocytosis
B. DNA replication
C. Autophagy
D. Glycolysis
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The accumulation of toxic protein aggregates is a
hallmark of impaired autophagy, the essential cellular
,housekeeping process responsible for degrading damaged
organelles and misfolded proteins. In Huntington disease,
research indicates that the aging process gradually impairs
autophagy, leading to the death of specific neurons.
• A: Receptor-mediated endocytosis is concerned with
uptake, not degradation, of extracellular material.
• B: DNA replication is unrelated to the clearance of
cytoplasmic protein aggregates.
• D: Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway for energy production.
Teaching Point: Autophagy is a crucial recycling and
quality-control process; its failure is implicated in
neurodegenerative diseases.
2. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A laboratory is analyzing gene expression profiles in different
breast cancer subtypes. To ensure accurate measurement of
gene expression levels across various tumor samples, the
results should be normalized using genes that are consistently
expressed. Which of the following best describes the required
characteristic of these genes?
A. Genes with high variability in expression that reflect cellular
stress.
B. Genes that are only expressed in malignant tissues.
C. Genes crucial for maintaining basic cellular functions and
consistent across tissues.
D. Genes involved in cell cycle progression and proliferation.
,Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Housekeeping genes (HKGs) are defined as those
constitutively expressed in all cells to maintain basic cellular
functions, making them ideal stable references for normalizing
gene expression data in experiments comparing different
tissues or states.
• A: Variable genes are unsuitable as they introduce error
and invalidate comparisons.
• B: Genes exclusive to malignancy would not be present in
normal cells for comparison.
• D: Proliferation genes are not consistently expressed
across all cell types or states.
Teaching Point: Housekeeping genes provide a stable
baseline for reliable gene expression analysis by controlling
for technical variability.
3. Chapter 1: Cellular Housekeeping
A researcher is performing a Western blot to compare protein
levels in normal and diseased kidney tissue samples. To correct
for differences in the amount of protein loaded into each lane,
the researcher plans to use glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a loading control. What is a critical
assumption underlying this method?
A. GAPDH expression is significantly upregulated in the diseased
tissue.
B. GAPDH expression remains stable and is unaffected by the
disease state.
, C. GAPDH is only expressed in the mitochondria of kidney cells.
D. GAPDH is a membrane-bound protein.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The validity of using any housekeeping protein for
normalization depends on its expression being constant across
the samples being compared. Studies have shown that
commonly used proteins like GAPDH can vary under different
physiological and pathological conditions, which would
compromise the analysis.
• A: Upregulation would make it a poor control, invalidating
the comparison.
• C: GAPDH is a glycolytic enzyme present in the cytoplasm.
• D: GAPDH is not a membrane-bound protein.
Teaching Point: The expression of common housekeeping
proteins must be verified to be stable in the specific
experimental context, as it is not a universal guarantee.
4. Chapter 1: The Plasma Membrane
A patient with a genetic disorder presents with severe bleeding
episodes. Laboratory studies indicate that platelets from this
patient lack the ability to provide a necessary surface for the
assembly of clotting factors. Which phospholipid, normally
found on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane but
exposed on activated platelets, is critical for this procoagulant
function?
A. Phosphatidylinositol
