NUR 6111 Weeks 1-7 Advanced Pathophysiology Quiz
2026 – William Peterson University UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to
lack of use or nutrient supply?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Dysplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: D
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size caused by aging, disuse, or lack of blood
supply.
2. A patient with chronic hypertension exhibits thickening of the left ventricular
wall. This is an example of:
A. Physiologic hypertrophy
B. Pathologic hyperplasia
C. Pathologic hypertrophy
D. Compensatory hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Pathologic hypertrophy occurs in response to chronic hemodynamic overload,
such as high blood pressure.
,3. Metaplasia is defined as the:
A. Increase in the number of cells
B. Abnormal change in size, shape, and organization
C. Replacement of one mature cell type by another
D. Rupture of the cell membrane
Answer: C
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often as a response to chronic irritation.
4. Which process results in cell death characterized by cellular swelling and
inflammation?
A. Necrosis
B. Autophagy
C. Apoptosis
D. Phagocytosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is accidental cell death that leads to cellular swelling, membrane
rupture, and an inflammatory response.
5. The primary mechanism of hypoxic injury is:
A. Decrease in mitochondrial ATP production
B. Increase in ATP production
C. Excessive sodium efflux
D. Intracellular potassium accumulation
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to a failure of oxidative phosphorylation, decreasing ATP, which
impairs the sodium-potassium pump.
, 6. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain due to ischemic injury?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is common in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive enzymes and lipids.
7. Programmed cell death that does not elicit an inflammatory response is
known as:
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Pyreptosis
D. Infarction
Answer: A
Rationale: Apoptosis is an active, orderly process of cellular self-destruction that avoids
inflammation.
8. An error in which homologous chromosomes fail to separate during meiosis is
called:
A. Translocation
B. Nondisjunction
C. Inversion
D. Deletion
Answer: B
Rationale: Nondisjunction occurs when chromosomes fail to separate, leading to
aneuploidy (e.g., Down syndrome).
2026 – William Peterson University UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. Which cellular adaptation is characterized by a decrease in cell size due to
lack of use or nutrient supply?
A. Hypertrophy
B. Dysplasia
C. Metaplasia
D. Atrophy
Answer: D
Rationale: Atrophy is a decrease in cell size caused by aging, disuse, or lack of blood
supply.
2. A patient with chronic hypertension exhibits thickening of the left ventricular
wall. This is an example of:
A. Physiologic hypertrophy
B. Pathologic hyperplasia
C. Pathologic hypertrophy
D. Compensatory hyperplasia
Answer: C
Rationale: Pathologic hypertrophy occurs in response to chronic hemodynamic overload,
such as high blood pressure.
,3. Metaplasia is defined as the:
A. Increase in the number of cells
B. Abnormal change in size, shape, and organization
C. Replacement of one mature cell type by another
D. Rupture of the cell membrane
Answer: C
Rationale: Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one mature cell type by another,
often as a response to chronic irritation.
4. Which process results in cell death characterized by cellular swelling and
inflammation?
A. Necrosis
B. Autophagy
C. Apoptosis
D. Phagocytosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Necrosis is accidental cell death that leads to cellular swelling, membrane
rupture, and an inflammatory response.
5. The primary mechanism of hypoxic injury is:
A. Decrease in mitochondrial ATP production
B. Increase in ATP production
C. Excessive sodium efflux
D. Intracellular potassium accumulation
Answer: A
Rationale: Hypoxia leads to a failure of oxidative phosphorylation, decreasing ATP, which
impairs the sodium-potassium pump.
, 6. Which type of necrosis is typically seen in the brain due to ischemic injury?
A. Liquefactive necrosis
B. Caseous necrosis
C. Fat necrosis
D. Coagulative necrosis
Answer: A
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis is common in the brain because brain cells are rich in
digestive enzymes and lipids.
7. Programmed cell death that does not elicit an inflammatory response is
known as:
A. Apoptosis
B. Necrosis
C. Pyreptosis
D. Infarction
Answer: A
Rationale: Apoptosis is an active, orderly process of cellular self-destruction that avoids
inflammation.
8. An error in which homologous chromosomes fail to separate during meiosis is
called:
A. Translocation
B. Nondisjunction
C. Inversion
D. Deletion
Answer: B
Rationale: Nondisjunction occurs when chromosomes fail to separate, leading to
aneuploidy (e.g., Down syndrome).
