PATHOPHYSIOLOGY COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
◉ An echocardiogram reveals Charles, an ultramarathon runner, has an
enlarged left ventricle. As this increase in ventricle size is supported by
increased blood flow and ATP production due to the training Charles has
undertaken this increase in heart size demonstrates _______________.
A. Physiological hyperplasia
B. Pathological hypertrophy
C. Physiological hypertrophy
D. Benign neoplasia
E. Pathological metaplasia. Answer: C. Physiological hypertrophy
◉ A friend comes to you concerned, as her recent Pap tests revealed the
presence of cervical dysplasia. Which of the following response to your
friend's comment is correct?
A. Dysplasia is basically the same as cancer
B. Dysplasia indicates a change in the cellular appearance
C. Dysplasia indicates cancer cells have metastasized
D. Dysplasia indicates a benign form of cancerous growth
E. Dysplasia indicates one cell type has been replaced by another cell
type. Answer: B. Dysplasia indicates a change in the cellular appearance
,◉ Cell injury occurs when cells are exposed to severe stress that no
longer allows them to maintain homeostasis. What basic changes occur
as a result of cell injury? Select all that apply.
A. Inadequate oxygen diffusion at the alveoli
B. Increase in mitochondria number
C. Cellular swelling
D. Defects in protein synthesis
E. Dysfunction of the sodium-potassium pump. Answer: C. Cellular
swelling, D. Defects in protein synthesis, & E. Dysfunction in the
sodium potassium pump
◉ Which of the following are examples of necrosis? Select all that
apply.
A. Cellular turnover at the surface of the skin
B. Third-degree burn
C. Changes in ovarian cells during menopause
D. Myocardial cell damage caused by myocardial infarction
E. Cell death caused by exposure to snake venom. Answer: B. Third-
degree burn, D. Myocardial cell damage caused by myocardial
infarction, & E. Cell death caused by exposure to snake venom
◉ Where does transcription take place?. Answer: Nucleus
,◉ Where does translation take place?. Answer: Cytoplasm
◉ At the end of mitosis how many chromosomes are there?
A. 23
B. 46
C. 52
D. 21. Answer: B. 46
◉ Which statement is true for meiosis?
A. Meiosis occurs from the splitting of haploid cells
B. Meiosis creates 22 pairs of homologous chromosomes
C. Meiosis creates somatic cells
D. Meiosis creates gametes. Answer: D. Meiosis creates gametes
◉ What is this an example of: Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, short
stature, etc.. Answer: Phenotype
◉ What is this an example of: Sickle cell disease, Down's Syndrome.
Answer: Genotype
◉ Which statement is true about x-linked recessive
A. The trait is seen more in females
, B. The father always gives the trait to the son
C. Females cannot carry the trait
D. The gene is passed from affected fathers to all daughters. Answer: D.
The gene is passed from affected fathers to all daughters
◉ What is etiology?. Answer: Original cause of a cellular alteration or
disease
◉ What is histology?. Answer: Microscopic study of tissues and cells
◉ What are pathognomonic changes?. Answer: Unique histological
findings that represent distinct disease processes
◉ Atrophy:. Answer: ADAPTATION in which cells revert to a smaller
size as a result of their changing metabolic requirements or environment
◉ Hypertrophy:. Answer: Increase in individual cell size that results in
enlargement of functioning tissue mass --> greater metabolic demand
and energy needs
◉ What is an example of physiological hypertrophy?. Answer: Increased
muscle mass due to exercise; muscle is adequately supplied with blood
due to angiogenesis
SCRIPT 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
◉ An echocardiogram reveals Charles, an ultramarathon runner, has an
enlarged left ventricle. As this increase in ventricle size is supported by
increased blood flow and ATP production due to the training Charles has
undertaken this increase in heart size demonstrates _______________.
A. Physiological hyperplasia
B. Pathological hypertrophy
C. Physiological hypertrophy
D. Benign neoplasia
E. Pathological metaplasia. Answer: C. Physiological hypertrophy
◉ A friend comes to you concerned, as her recent Pap tests revealed the
presence of cervical dysplasia. Which of the following response to your
friend's comment is correct?
A. Dysplasia is basically the same as cancer
B. Dysplasia indicates a change in the cellular appearance
C. Dysplasia indicates cancer cells have metastasized
D. Dysplasia indicates a benign form of cancerous growth
E. Dysplasia indicates one cell type has been replaced by another cell
type. Answer: B. Dysplasia indicates a change in the cellular appearance
,◉ Cell injury occurs when cells are exposed to severe stress that no
longer allows them to maintain homeostasis. What basic changes occur
as a result of cell injury? Select all that apply.
A. Inadequate oxygen diffusion at the alveoli
B. Increase in mitochondria number
C. Cellular swelling
D. Defects in protein synthesis
E. Dysfunction of the sodium-potassium pump. Answer: C. Cellular
swelling, D. Defects in protein synthesis, & E. Dysfunction in the
sodium potassium pump
◉ Which of the following are examples of necrosis? Select all that
apply.
A. Cellular turnover at the surface of the skin
B. Third-degree burn
C. Changes in ovarian cells during menopause
D. Myocardial cell damage caused by myocardial infarction
E. Cell death caused by exposure to snake venom. Answer: B. Third-
degree burn, D. Myocardial cell damage caused by myocardial
infarction, & E. Cell death caused by exposure to snake venom
◉ Where does transcription take place?. Answer: Nucleus
,◉ Where does translation take place?. Answer: Cytoplasm
◉ At the end of mitosis how many chromosomes are there?
A. 23
B. 46
C. 52
D. 21. Answer: B. 46
◉ Which statement is true for meiosis?
A. Meiosis occurs from the splitting of haploid cells
B. Meiosis creates 22 pairs of homologous chromosomes
C. Meiosis creates somatic cells
D. Meiosis creates gametes. Answer: D. Meiosis creates gametes
◉ What is this an example of: Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, short
stature, etc.. Answer: Phenotype
◉ What is this an example of: Sickle cell disease, Down's Syndrome.
Answer: Genotype
◉ Which statement is true about x-linked recessive
A. The trait is seen more in females
, B. The father always gives the trait to the son
C. Females cannot carry the trait
D. The gene is passed from affected fathers to all daughters. Answer: D.
The gene is passed from affected fathers to all daughters
◉ What is etiology?. Answer: Original cause of a cellular alteration or
disease
◉ What is histology?. Answer: Microscopic study of tissues and cells
◉ What are pathognomonic changes?. Answer: Unique histological
findings that represent distinct disease processes
◉ Atrophy:. Answer: ADAPTATION in which cells revert to a smaller
size as a result of their changing metabolic requirements or environment
◉ Hypertrophy:. Answer: Increase in individual cell size that results in
enlargement of functioning tissue mass --> greater metabolic demand
and energy needs
◉ What is an example of physiological hypertrophy?. Answer: Increased
muscle mass due to exercise; muscle is adequately supplied with blood
due to angiogenesis
