,WGU D115 Advanced Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice
Nurse OA 2026/2027 Questions And Answers
Q1. Which molecular event directly determines the sequence of
amino acids incorporated into a newly synthesized protein?
A) DNA replication
B) Chromosomal segregation
C) RNA splicing
D) Translation of messenger RNA by ribosomes
Correct Answer: D) Translation of messenger RNA by ribosomes
Rationale: Translation occurs when ribosomes read messenger RNA codons
and use transfer RNA to assemble amino acids in the corresponding
sequence, producing a polypeptide.
Q2. Two healthy parents are carriers of the same autosomal
recessive disorder. What is the probability that each pregnancy will
produce an affected child?
A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 100%
Correct Answer: A) 25%
Rationale: Each carrier contributes either a normal or pathogenic allele. The
four possible allele combinations include one in which the child inherits both
pathogenic alleles, producing a 25% affected risk with each pregnancy.
Q3. Which chromosomal alteration characterizes Turner syndrome?
A) Complete or partial absence of one X chromosome
B) An additional chromosome 21
C) An additional X chromosome in a male
D) Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5
Correct Answer: A) Complete or partial absence of one X chromosome
Rationale: Turner syndrome most commonly results from monosomy X,
producing abnormalities related to ovarian dysgenesis, short stature, and
altered sexual development.
,Q4. A newborn has hypotonia, a flattened facial profile, and a single
transverse palmar crease. Which genetic abnormality most directly
explains these findings?
A) Monosomy X
B) Trisomy 21
C) Trisomy 13
D) 47,XXY karyotype
Correct Answer: B) Trisomy 21
Rationale: Down syndrome results from excess genetic material from
chromosome 21, most often because of meiotic nondisjunction leading to
trisomy 21.
Q5. Why are disorders such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes
commonly described as multifactorial?
A) They occur only after exposure to infectious organisms.
B) They are caused by one highly penetrant dominant allele.
C) They occur only when mitochondrial DNA is abnormal.
D) Their development reflects interactions between multiple genetic and
environmental factors.
Correct Answer: D) Their development reflects interactions between multiple
genetic and environmental factors.
Rationale: Multifactorial disorders arise from the combined influence of
several genes plus environmental, behavioral, and physiologic exposures
rather than a single Mendelian mutation.
Q6. Why are males more likely than females to express many X-
linked recessive disorders?
A) Male cells contain twice as many autosomes.
B) The Y chromosome activates recessive X-linked genes.
C) Paternal X chromosomes are always silenced in males.
D) Males have only one X chromosome, so a pathogenic allele on that
chromosome has no corresponding normal allele to mask it.
Correct Answer: D) Males have only one X chromosome, so a pathogenic
allele on that chromosome has no corresponding normal allele to mask it.
, Rationale: Because males are hemizygous for most X-linked genes, a
recessive pathogenic variant on their single X chromosome can be expressed
directly.
Q7. Tissue injury causes local vasodilation, increased vascular
permeability, and recruitment of leukocytes. Which defense
mechanism is being activated?
A) Immunologic memory
B) Passive immunity
C) Inflammatory response
D) Central tolerance
Correct Answer: C) Inflammatory response
Rationale: Inflammation is an innate, nonspecific response to tissue injury
or infection that increases blood flow, vascular permeability, and immune-
cell recruitment.
Q8. Which finding most strongly distinguishes chronic inflammation
from an uncomplicated acute inflammatory response?
A) Local vasodilation
B) Increased capillary permeability
C) Persistent macrophage and lymphocyte activity with ongoing tissue injury
and repair
D) Release of histamine immediately after tissue injury
Correct Answer: C) Persistent macrophage and lymphocyte activity with
ongoing tissue injury and repair
Rationale: Chronic inflammation is characterized by prolonged activation of
macrophages and lymphocytes together with simultaneous tissue
destruction and repair, whereas acute inflammation is usually dominated by
neutrophils.
Q9. A person develops urticaria, wheezing, and hypotension minutes
after exposure to an allergen. Which immune mechanism is
primarily responsible?
A) Immune-complex deposition
B) IgE-mediated mast-cell degranulation
C) Cytotoxic T-cell activation
D) IgG-mediated destruction of basement membranes
Nurse OA 2026/2027 Questions And Answers
Q1. Which molecular event directly determines the sequence of
amino acids incorporated into a newly synthesized protein?
A) DNA replication
B) Chromosomal segregation
C) RNA splicing
D) Translation of messenger RNA by ribosomes
Correct Answer: D) Translation of messenger RNA by ribosomes
Rationale: Translation occurs when ribosomes read messenger RNA codons
and use transfer RNA to assemble amino acids in the corresponding
sequence, producing a polypeptide.
Q2. Two healthy parents are carriers of the same autosomal
recessive disorder. What is the probability that each pregnancy will
produce an affected child?
A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 100%
Correct Answer: A) 25%
Rationale: Each carrier contributes either a normal or pathogenic allele. The
four possible allele combinations include one in which the child inherits both
pathogenic alleles, producing a 25% affected risk with each pregnancy.
Q3. Which chromosomal alteration characterizes Turner syndrome?
A) Complete or partial absence of one X chromosome
B) An additional chromosome 21
C) An additional X chromosome in a male
D) Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5
Correct Answer: A) Complete or partial absence of one X chromosome
Rationale: Turner syndrome most commonly results from monosomy X,
producing abnormalities related to ovarian dysgenesis, short stature, and
altered sexual development.
,Q4. A newborn has hypotonia, a flattened facial profile, and a single
transverse palmar crease. Which genetic abnormality most directly
explains these findings?
A) Monosomy X
B) Trisomy 21
C) Trisomy 13
D) 47,XXY karyotype
Correct Answer: B) Trisomy 21
Rationale: Down syndrome results from excess genetic material from
chromosome 21, most often because of meiotic nondisjunction leading to
trisomy 21.
Q5. Why are disorders such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes
commonly described as multifactorial?
A) They occur only after exposure to infectious organisms.
B) They are caused by one highly penetrant dominant allele.
C) They occur only when mitochondrial DNA is abnormal.
D) Their development reflects interactions between multiple genetic and
environmental factors.
Correct Answer: D) Their development reflects interactions between multiple
genetic and environmental factors.
Rationale: Multifactorial disorders arise from the combined influence of
several genes plus environmental, behavioral, and physiologic exposures
rather than a single Mendelian mutation.
Q6. Why are males more likely than females to express many X-
linked recessive disorders?
A) Male cells contain twice as many autosomes.
B) The Y chromosome activates recessive X-linked genes.
C) Paternal X chromosomes are always silenced in males.
D) Males have only one X chromosome, so a pathogenic allele on that
chromosome has no corresponding normal allele to mask it.
Correct Answer: D) Males have only one X chromosome, so a pathogenic
allele on that chromosome has no corresponding normal allele to mask it.
, Rationale: Because males are hemizygous for most X-linked genes, a
recessive pathogenic variant on their single X chromosome can be expressed
directly.
Q7. Tissue injury causes local vasodilation, increased vascular
permeability, and recruitment of leukocytes. Which defense
mechanism is being activated?
A) Immunologic memory
B) Passive immunity
C) Inflammatory response
D) Central tolerance
Correct Answer: C) Inflammatory response
Rationale: Inflammation is an innate, nonspecific response to tissue injury
or infection that increases blood flow, vascular permeability, and immune-
cell recruitment.
Q8. Which finding most strongly distinguishes chronic inflammation
from an uncomplicated acute inflammatory response?
A) Local vasodilation
B) Increased capillary permeability
C) Persistent macrophage and lymphocyte activity with ongoing tissue injury
and repair
D) Release of histamine immediately after tissue injury
Correct Answer: C) Persistent macrophage and lymphocyte activity with
ongoing tissue injury and repair
Rationale: Chronic inflammation is characterized by prolonged activation of
macrophages and lymphocytes together with simultaneous tissue
destruction and repair, whereas acute inflammation is usually dominated by
neutrophils.
Q9. A person develops urticaria, wheezing, and hypotension minutes
after exposure to an allergen. Which immune mechanism is
primarily responsible?
A) Immune-complex deposition
B) IgE-mediated mast-cell degranulation
C) Cytotoxic T-cell activation
D) IgG-mediated destruction of basement membranes
