Understanding Pathophysiology CANADIAN 1st Edition
Huether Test Bank
Chapter 01: Cellular Biology
Huether: Understanding Pathophysiology, First Canadian Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
- A student is observing a cell under the microscope. The student notices it to have supercoiled
DNA with histones. What else would the student be expected to observe?
a. A single circular chromosome
b. A nucleus
c. Free-floating nuclear material
d. No organelles
ANS: B
The cell described is a eukaryotic cell, so it has histones and a supercoiled DNA within its
nucleus; thus, the nucleus should be observed. A prokaryotic cell contains a single circular
chromosome and lacks organelles.
REF: p. 1 - A nurse is instructing the staff about cellular functions. Which cellular function is the nurse
describing when an isolated cell absorbs oxygen and uses it to transform nutrients to energy?
a. Metabolic absorption
b. Communication
c. Secretion
d. Respiration
ANS: D
The cell’s ability to produce energy is respiration. Communication involves maintenance of a
steady dynamic state, while metabolic absorption provides cellular nutrition, and secretion
allows for the delivery or release of new substances.
REF: p. 2 - A eukaryotic cell is undergoing DNA replication. In which region of the cell would most of
the genetic information be contained?
a. Peroxisomes
b. Ribosomes
c. The nucleolus
d. Suspended in nucleoplasm
ANS: D
The region of the cell that contains genetic material is the nucleoplasm contained within the
nucleus. The nucleolus, contained within the nucleus, is largely composed of ribosomes.
Peroxisomes contain digestive enzymes.
REF: p. 2 - Which of the following can remove proteins attached to the cell’s bilayer by dissolving the
layer itself?
a. Peripheral membrane proteins
b. Integral membrane proteins
c. Glycoproteins
d. Cell adhesion molecules
ANS: B
Proteins directly attached to the membrane bilayer can be removed by the action of integral
membrane proteins that dissolve the bilayer. Peripheral membrane proteins reside at the
surface while cell adhesion molecules are on the outside of the membrane. Glycoproteins act
as cell identifiers.
REF: p. 7
- Which of the following can bind to plasma membrane receptors?
a. Oxygen
b. Ribosomes
c. Amphipathic lipids
d. Ligands
ANS: D
Ligands are the only specific molecules that can bind with receptors on the cell membrane.
REF: p. 9 - A nurse is reviewing a report from a patient with metastatic cancer. What alternation in the
extracellular matrix would support the diagnosis of metastatic cancer?
a. Decreased fibronectin
b. Increased collagen
c. Decreased elastin
d. Increased glycoproteins
ANS: A
Only a reduced amount of fibronectin is found in some types of cancerous cells, allowing
them to travel or metastasize.
REF: pp. 10-11 - What type of connection allows for cellular communication?
a. Belt desmosome
b. Gap junction
c. Spot desmosome
d. Tight junction
ANS: B
Gap junctions allow for cellular communication between cells. Neither desmosomes nor tight
junctions are associated with cellular communication.
REF: p. 12 - Pancreatic beta cells secrete insulin, which inhibits secretion of glucagon from neighbouring
alpha cells. This action is an example of which of the following signalling types?
a. Paracrine
b. Autocrine
c. Neurohormonal
d. Hormonal
ANS: A
Paracrine signalling involves the release of local chemical mediators that are quickly taken up,
destroyed, or immobilized, as in the case of insulin and the inhibition of the secretion of
glucagon. None of the other options involve signalling that is associated with a local chemical
mediator like insulin.
REF: p. 12
- In cellular metabolism, each enzyme has a high affinity for a:
a. solute.
b. substrate.
c. receptor.
d. ribosome.
ANS: B
Each enzyme has a high affinity for a substrate, a specific substance converted to a product of
the reaction. Cellular metabolism is not dependent on an attraction between an enzyme and
any of the remaining options.
REF: p. 16 - An athlete runs a marathon, after which his muscles feel fatigued and unable to contract. The
athlete asks the nurse why this happened. The nurse’s response is based on the knowledge that
the problem is result of a deficiency of:
a. GTP
b. AMP
c. ATP
d. GMP
ANS: C
When ATP is deficient, impaired muscle contraction results. None of the other options are
involved in muscle contraction.
REF: p. 17 - Which phase of catabolism produces the most ATP?
a. Digestion
b. Glycolysis
c. Oxidation
d. Citric acid cycle
ANS: D
While some ATP is produced during the oxidation and glycolysis phases, most of the ATP is
generated during the citric acid cycle. Digestion does not produce any ATP.
REF: p. 16 - A nurse is teaching the staff about the phases of cellular catabolism. Which phases should the
nurse include?
U S N T O
a. Digestion, glycolysis, oxidation, and the citric acid cycle
b. Diffusion, osmosis, and mediated transport
c. S phase, G phase, and M phase
d. Metabolic absorption, respiration, and excretion
ANS: A
Only digestion, glycolysis, oxidation, and the citric acid cycle are the phases of cellular
catabolism.
REF: p. 16
- A runner has depleted all the oxygen available for muscle energy. Which of the following will
facilitate his continued muscle performance?
a. Electron-transport chain
b. Aerobic glycolysis
c. Anaerobic glycolysis
d. Oxidative phosphorylation
ANS: C
When no oxygen is available, anaerobic glycolysis occurs. The electron-transport chain is part
of the citric acid cycle. Aerobic glycolysis involves the presence of oxygen. Oxidative
phosphorylation is the mechanism by which the energy produced from carbohydrates, fats,
and proteins is transferred to ATP. It is not part of muscle performance.
REF: p. 17 - A faculty member asks a student to identify the appropriate term for the movement of a solute
from an area of greater to lesNser RconcIentGratioBn.. WChiMch answer indicates the nursing student
understood the teaching?
a. Osmosis
b. Diffusion
c. Hydrostatic pressure
d. Active transport
ANS: B
Diffusion is the movement of a solute molecule from an area of greater solute concentration to
an area of lesser solute concentration through a permeable membrane. Osmosis is the
movement of water across a semipermeable membrane from a region of higher water
concentration to one of lower concentration. Hydrostatic pressure is the force of fluid against
a cell membrane. In active transport, molecules move up a concentration gradient.
REF: p. 19 - Which description accurately describes electrolytes?
a. Small lipid-soluble molecules
b. Large protein molecules
c. Micronutrients used to produce ATP
d. Electrically charged molecules
ANS: D
Electrolytes are electrically charged molecules. They are not lipid soluble, they are not made
up of protein, and they do not play a role in ATP production.