Cell Adaptations

hypertrophied organ has no new cells, just larger cells. Theincreased size of the cells is due to the synthesis and assemblyof additional intracellular structural components. Cellscapable of division may respond to stress by undergoingboth hyperplasia (described later) and hypertrophy, whereasnondividing cells (e.g., myocardial fibers) increase tissuemass due to hypertrophy. In many sites, hype...

Quiz Type

Practice

Subject

Pathology

Level

Level 200

Questions

8 questions

Created By

David Ibeh

Quick Rules

Time limit: 40 minutes
Multiple attempts are not allowed
All questions must be answered to submit

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Question 1 of 8

Question 1

Basic multiple choice Evaluating

A patient with chronic hypertension presents with an enlarged heart, a condition identified as cardiac hypertrophy. This hypertrophy is primarily caused by which of the following factors? Question: What is the main mechanism responsible for the hypertrophy observed in this patient?

Increased division of myocardial cells due to higher metabolic demand.

Synthesis of additional proteins and myofilaments in response to increased workload.

Correct

Reduced blood flow to the heart muscle leading to cell death.

Inflammatory response leading to excessive cellular proliferation.

Explanation

The correct answer is that cardiac hypertrophy occurs due to the synthesis of additional proteins and myofilaments as a compensatory mechanism to increased workload. The other options incorrectly suggest processes that may not be primarily involved in cardiac hypertrophy.

Question 2

Basic multiple choice Evaluating

A bodybuilder experiences significant muscle growth from weightlifting. This enlargement of muscle fibers is an example of which physiological response? Question: What type of hypertrophy is illustrated in this scenario?

Pathologic hypertrophy due to excessive mechanical stress.

Physiologic hypertrophy induced by hormonal signaling.

Correct

Hyperplasia as a result of increased muscle cell proliferation.

Maladaptive hypertrophy from chronic overuse.

Explanation

The correct answer is physiologic hypertrophy, which is a normal response to increased demand, such as exercise. The other options mix up the concepts of hypertrophy and hyperplasia or mischaracterize the nature of the muscle growth.

Question 3

Basic multiple choice Evaluating

A researcher is studying the mechanisms behind uterine growth during pregnancy. She determines that hormonal signaling through estrogen is key in promoting cellular changes. What change is primarily occurring in the muscle fibers of the uterus in response to this hormonal stimulation? Question: Which process best describes the cellular adaptation occurring in this context?

Increased cell number due to hyperplasia.

Increased cell size due to hypertrophy from hormone signaling.

Correct

Maladaptive cell growth leading to pathological changes.

Death of myocytes due to hormonal overload.

Explanation

The correct answer is that the uterine muscle fibers undergo hypertrophy as a result of hormonal signaling from estrogen, leading to an increase in cell size. The other options either do not apply or refer to incorrect processes.

Question 4

Basic multiple choice Evaluating

Following partial hepatectomy, a patient's liver regenerates to its original size. This process is supported by hormonal growth factors. What type of cellular response is most evident in this example? Question: What is the primary mechanism facilitating this regeneration?

Pathologic hyperplasia due to abnormal cell division.

Physiologic hyperplasia from compensatory mechanisms.

Correct

Maladaptive hypertrophy caused by stress.

Senescence of liver cells leading to atrophy.

Explanation

The regeneration of liver following partial hepatectomy is an example of physiologic hyperplasia, which is a normal adaptive response. The other options do not accurately describe the regenerative response of the liver.

Question 5

Basic multiple choice Evaluating

A clinician notes that a patient's endometrial lining has thickened due to excessive estrogen levels, leading to abnormal uterine bleeding. This condition is classified as which type of cellular adaptation? Question: What is the underlying mechanism responsible for this endometrial change?

Pathologic hypertrophy due to excess cell size.

Physiologic hyperplasia responding to hormonal stimuli.

Pathologic hyperplasia resulting from hormonal imbalance.

Correct

Maladaptive hypertrophy due to chronic stimulation.

Explanation

The thickening of the endometrial lining due to hormonal imbalance is classified as pathologic hyperplasia. The other options incorrectly categorize the type of adaptation.

Question 6

Complex multiple choice Analyzing

A 55-year-old male presents with symptoms of exertional dyspnea and fatigue. Echocardiography reveals left ventricular hypertrophy without any signs of new cell formation. The patient has a history of hypertension and sedentary lifestyle. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of hypertrophy, which of the following statements best explains the adaptation observed in the myocardial fibers? Question: Which underlying mechanism primarily contributes to the pathologic hypertrophy observed in this patient’s heart?

The myocardial hypertrophy results from increased cell division in response to increased workload, leading to a greater number of contractile cells.

The hypertrophy is due to the overproduction of growth factors that result from mechanical stresses and hormonal stimulation, leading to larger individual myocyte sizes.

Correct

Increased myocardial volume due to fluid retention associated with left heart failure leads to compensatory hypertrophy of the myocardial cells.

The pathologic hypertrophy is essentially a reversible process that eventually restores normal heart size in response to the alleviation of hypertension.

Explanation

The correct option highlights that in pathological hypertrophy, the increased workload leads to mechanical stress that triggers growth factors, causing existing myocytes to increase in size rather than an increase in cell number. Other options misinterpret the mechanism of hypertrophy or project erroneous behaviors of myocardial cells under pathological contexts.

Question 7

Complex multiple choice Evaluating

During an anatomical study, researchers noted hypertrophy of the uterine smooth muscle in a pregnant rat model. The observed changes were attributed to increased estrogen signaling. Given these observations, consider the processes involved in cellular adaptation. Question: How does estrogen signaling directly facilitate hypertrophy in uterine smooth muscle cells during pregnancy?

Estrogen initiates a feedback loop that promotes apoptosis in non-dividing cells, ensuring that only larger, more functional cells survive.

Estrogen enhances the transcription of genes responsible for the synthesis of muscle proteins, leading to increased cell size and uterine mass.

Correct

Estrogen-induced mechanical stretch from increased uterine volume signals the activation of growth factors, stimulating myocyte division rather than hypertrophy.

Estrogen acts solely through its effect on vascular smooth muscle to increase blood flow to the uterus, indirectly causing hypertrophy in uterine cells.

Explanation

The correct answer fully recognizes that estrogen acts primarily to increase the transcription of muscle-specific genes, essential for hypertrophy, while the distractors suggest incorrect mechanisms of estrogen action or misunderstand the nature of the hypertrophic response in this context.

Question 8

Complex multiple choice Creating

A 43-year-old male with a history of heavy alcohol use undergoes partial hepatectomy after liver trauma. Post-surgery, the liver exhibits signs of hyperplasia as it regenerates. Analyze the compensation mechanisms involved in this process. Question: In this scenario, which mechanisms are most responsible for facilitating hyperplasia in the liver post-hepatectomy?

Hyperplasia is triggered by stem cell activation due to hormonal changes that stimulate new liver tissue formation.

Correct

Liver regeneration occurs through the direct action of alcohol as a growth factor, promoting the enlargement of hepatocytes.

The hyperplastic response is primarily a result of mechanical stretch from increased blood volume in response to tissue loss.

Hyperplasia is facilitated purely by non-specific inflammatory responses from liver damage without any hormonal influence.

Explanation

The correct analysis highlights the activation of hepatic progenitor cells and restorative growth factors in the compensatory hyperplastic response following hepatectomy, contrasted with options that ignore the fundamental biology of hepatic regeneration or misattribute the underlying drivers.