Histology Written Exam I
1. In the respiratory system, a structure without hyaline cartilage or goblet cells, few
ciliated cells and small amounts of smooth muscle is best described as a/an:
A. Conducting bronchiole
B. Alveolar duct
C. Bronchus
D. Alveolus
E. Respiratory bronchiole
2. A 58-year-old woman has fever and cough for five days. A chest x-ray suggests
pneumonia, and laboratory studies show a marked increase in the number of
neutrophils in her peripheral blood. The increase in peripheral blood neutrophils is most
likely due to:
A. Movement of neutrophils from the lung into the peripheral blood
B. Effect of cytokines on bone marrow granulopoiesis
C. Increased production of erythropoietin by the kidney
D. Production of neutrophils by other organs such as the spleen
E. All of the above
3. In human skeletal (striated) muscle, where does the T-tubule intercept the sarcomere?
A. At the I - H band junction
B. At the A - I band junction
C. At the Z line
D. At the I band
E. At the A band
4. You are looking at a slide of bone and notice a fairly large cell. Suspecting this is an
osteoclast, you tell your lab partner that these cells:
A. Arise from marrow-derived monocytes
B. Activity is increased by calcitonin
C. Activity is decreased by parathyroid hormone
D. Are responsible for osteoid production
E. Are located in Haversian canals
5. Cytoplasmic proteins are synthesized:
A. In the nucleolus
B. By mitochondria
C. On free ribosomes in the cytoplasm
D. In smooth endoplasmic reticulum
E. On the rough endoplasmic reticulum
6. Which of the following contains actin and myosin filaments?
A. Smooth muscle only
B. All three muscle types
C. Only cardiac and skeletal muscle
D. Cardiac muscle only
E. Skeletal muscle only
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7. An Haversian system is composed of each of the following EXCEPT:
A. Circumferential lamellae
B. Blood vessels
C. Lacunae
D. Canaliculi
E. Concentric lamellae
8. Pulmonary surfactant is elaborated by which cell type?
A. Fibroblasts
B. Clara cells
C. Type II pneumocytes
D. Pulmonary macrophages
E. Type I pneumocytes
9. Clathrin is associated with which of the following?
A. Golgi apparatus
B. Nucleolus
C. Plasma membrane P-face
D. Rough endoplasmic reticulum
E. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
10. The fiber type most commonly associated with stroma that supports parenchyma in
organs such as the liver, spleen, and endocrine glands is:
A. Type 11 collagen fibers
B. Purkinje fibers
C. Elastic fibers
D. Type I collagen fibers
E. Type III collagen fibers
11. Which of the following is/are fixed postmitotic?
A. smooth muscle
B. both cardiac and smooth muscle
C. cardiac muscle
D. skeletal muscle
E. both cardiac and skeletal muscle
12. Which statement applies to both apocrine glands and eccrine glands?
A. Secretions are high in protein
B. Secretion is of the merocrine type
C. Absent from the skin of the external genitalia
D. Small and nonfunctional until puberty
E. Duct portion is surrounded by a row of myoepithelial cells
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13. Following chemotherapy for breast cancer, a 50-year-old woman has bleeding from her
gums when she brushes her teeth. Laboratory studies show thrombocytopenia, and a
bone marrow biopsy is done as part of her evaluation. Which of the following types of
cells would it be most important to look for on the bone marrow biopsy?
A. Lymphocytes
B. Megakaryocytes
C. Macrophages
D. Myeloblasts
E. Erythroblasts
14. The daughter cells of the basal cells found in pseudostratified ciliated columnar
epithelium can differentiate into which of the following?
A. Goblet cells
B. Ciliated columnar cells
C. Basal cells
D. A and B above
E. A, B and C above
15. Since the majority of bladder tumors are of epithelial origin, these tumors would be
expected to arise from which of the following?
A. Smooth muscle
B. Transitional epithelium
C. Peripheral ganglia
D. Mucous connective tissue
E. Stratified columnar epithelium16. To conserve body heat when the body gets cold, blood can be diverted away from
superficial capillary beds in the outer dermis of the skin. Such a diversion takes place
in/at _________ ?
A. Arteriovenous anastomoses
B. Elastic vessels
C. Sinusoids
D. Between large veins and medium arteries
E. Perineural vessels
17. Which of the following is membrane bound within the cell?
A. Nucleolus
B. Zymogen granules
C. Centrioles
D. Glycogen particles
E. Individual chromosomes
18. A cell which cannot proceed into cell division is usually arrested in:
A. G2 phase
B. M phase
C. G1 phase
D. S phase
E. Biphase
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19. Which statement regarding cartilage is INCORRECT:
A. All types of cartilage contain Type II collagen fibres in the matrix
B. Cartilage contains chondrocytes in lacunae
C. Cartilage can enlarge by appositional growth only
D. Fibrocartilage never has a perichondrium
E. The capsular matrix is rich in glycosaminoglycans
20. The Meissner corpuscle functions as a/an:
A. Efferent nerve fiber
B. Peristalsis receptor
C. Pain receptor
D. Pressure receptor
E. Tactile receptor
21. A structure that functions in the exchange of gases and nutrients, as well as providing
a degree of protection would most likely be lined by:
A. Simple columnar epithelium
B. Transitional epithelium
C. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
D. Stratified cuboidal epithelium
E. Simple squamous epithelium
22. Which component of the basement membrane is formed by fibroblasts in the subjacent
connective tissue?
A. Lamina rara
B. Hemidesmosomes
C. Lamina media
D. Lamina reticulans
E. Lamina densa
MATCHING: Match the type of peripheral blood or bone marrow cell with its function.
Each answer should be used only once.
23. Red blood cell
24. Neutrophil
25. Platelet
26. Plasma cell
27. Eosinophil
A. Kills bacteria
B. Kills some types of parasites
C. Produces antibody
D. Carries oxygen
E. Stops bleeding
28. While rotating in orthopedic surgery, your attending asks you about the histologic
aspects of bone. You tell her:
A. Osteoclasts produce the bone matrix
B. It can enlarge by appositional and interstitial growth
C. Osteoid is calcified cartilage
D. Lacunae in bone contain osteocytes
E. It is surrounded by a perichondrium
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29. In the heart the cardiac muscle cells are in ionic communication with each other
through which of the following?
A. Nexus or gap junctions
B. Macula occludens
C. Zonula adherens
D. Macula adherens
E. Zonula occludens
30. Which statement regarding both unilocular and multilocular fat is FALSE:
A. Both function in heat production
B. Both are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system
C. Both are present in the newborn human
D. Both are derived from lipoblasts
E. Both are highly vascular
31. Since Biochemistry is so one-dimensional, you decide to spend some time in the
multi-dimensional world of Histology. While looking at a tissue under the microscope,
you notice a symphony of pink fibers swirling gently beneath an epidermis. You know
that these fibers must be composed of:
A. Type II and III collagen
B. Type IV collagen
C. Type IV and VII collagen
D. Type I collagen
E. Type III collagen
32. You are asked to determine if a cell contains cytoskeletal actin filaments. Which of the
following would you use?
A. Immunocytochemistry
B. Electron microscopy
C. Light Microscopy
D. Fluorescence microscopy
E. Gross inspection of the tissue
33. Each of the following is true of brown adipose tissue EXCEPT:
A. Has thermogenic properties
B. Has a rich vascular supply
C. Is derived from mesenchymal cells
D. Cytoplasmic lysosomes impart the brown color
E. Is widely distributed in the newborn
34. A schwannoma is a benign tumor that arises from the Schwann cell. Based on the cell
of origin, where would one most likely find these tumors?
A. In salivary glands
B. In the choroid plexus
C. In peripheral nerves
D. In the brain
E. In multilocular fat
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35. How long does it take for the nail plate of the finger to fully regenerate after its
complete removal?
A. 7-8 months
B. 10-12 months
C. 5-6 months
D. 3-4 months
E. 1-1.5 years
36. Epithelial tissue is classified according to:
A. Its location in the body.
B. The presence or absence of blood vessels.
C. The presence or absence of a basement membrane.
D. The number of cell layers and the shape of the cells.
E. The type of junctions present between adjacent cells.
37. The following description best describes which vessel? Very wide lumen, thin wall,
macrophages found adjacent to wall, wall is composed of endothelial cells and a
discontinuous (has holes) basal lamina.
A. Metarteriole
B. Arteriole
C. Venule
D. Continuous capillary
E. Sinusoid
38. Which is found only in the lamina densa of the basement membrane?
A. Adhesion proteins
B. Fibronectin
C. Integrins
D. Proteoglycans
E. Type IV collagen
39. You have isolated cellular structures in which catalase comprises almost 40% of the
protein. These structures are MOST LIKELY:
A. Microtubules
B. Mitochondria
C. Peroxisomes
D. Golgi apparatus
E. Lysosomes
40. You see a patient complaining of blisters that appear at the slightest touch of her skin.
A skin biopsy is performed and shows that at the site of these blisters the epithelium
has completely lifted off its basement membrane. If you were considering an
autoimmune condition (patient making antibodies to her own tissues) to be responsible,
to which structures might you expect to find antibodies in the patient's blood?
A. Zonula occludens
B. Actin filaments
C. Zonula adherens
D. Hemidesmosomes
E. Desmosomes
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41. In a typical stratified squamous epithelium, where are the cells located that provide for
renewal and replacement of cells lost by sloughing or cell death?
A. In the intermediate epithelial layers
B. Throughout the epithelium in all layers
C. Beneath the basement membrane of the epithelium
D. In the surface layer of epithelium
E. In the basal layer of epithelium
42. Which describes the proper sequence in the passage of carbon dioxide from a capillary
within the alveolar wall to air in the alveolus. 1= Blood plasma, 2= basal lamina of the
endothelial cell, 3= basal lamina of a type I pneumocyte, 4= Cytoplasm of a type I
pneumocyte, 5= endothelial cell cytoplasm.
A. 2,3,1,4, 5
B. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
C. 1, 5, 2, 3, 4
D. 3,4,5,2, 1
E. 5,4,3,2, 1
43. Your 5 year old neighbor falls from a tree and sustains a tibial fracture. Damage to
which part of the bone is of most concern when considering risk to further growth of
this bone?
A. Primary ossification center
B. Diaphysis
C. Spongy bone
D. Compact bone
E. Epiphyseal plate
44. Arrange the following structures in the correct sequence for impulse conduction in the
heart with 1=AV node, 2=AV bundle, 3=SA node, 4=bundle branch
A. 3-1-2-4
B. 3-2-1-4
C. 2-3-1-4
D. 1-2-3-4
E. 4-3-2-1
45. Which of the following is a feature of the stratum granulosum?
A. Anucleate
B. Contributes to production of hard keratin
C. Only present in thick skin
D. Discharges contents of Odland bodies
E. Mitotically active under normal circumstances
46. Which of the following is mainly responsible for ribosomes attaching to the membrane
of the endoplasmic reticulum?
A. Signal sequences on a forming polypeptide
B. Circular DNA molecules
C. tRNA molecules
D. Ribosomal RNA sequences
E. mRNA molecule
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47. In human cardiac muscle the T tubules are located at the
A. A-I band junction
B. A-H band junction
C. Z line
D. A band
E. I band
48. You are particularly interested in the brain and have discovered a vertebrate animal
model where the number of astrocytes is markedly decreased. This could be expected
to result in:
A. Formation of corpora amylacea
B. Increased number of unipolar neurons
C. Absence of myelination in the CNS
D. Loss of the blood-brain barrier
E. Loss of phagocytic functions in the brain
49. Which of the following would be used to visualize that the nucleus of a cell stains
basophilic:
A. Electron microscopy
B. I mmu nocytochemistry
C. Light microscopy
D. Fluorescence microscopy
E. Polarizing microscopy
50. You decide to get your nostril pierced. Thanks to your histology background you now
know that the type of tissue you have pierced is:
A. Fibrocartilage
B. Brown adipose tissue
C. Bone
D. Hyaline cartilage
E. Elastic cartilage
51. The 9+2 arrangment of microtubules, the axoneme, is found in which of the following
structures?
A. Stereocilia
B. Microvilli
C. Centriole
D. Cilia
E. Basal bodies
52. Compact bone contains:
A. Canaliculi containing osteoclasts
B. Osteocytes
C. Abundant Type II collagen
D. Matrix capsules surrounding lacunae
E. Elastic fibers in the lamellae
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53. Which of the following vessels has from 4 - 30 circular smooth muscle cell layers in its
tunica media as well as some elastic fibers?
A. Muscular artery
B. Metarteriole
C. Venule
D. Elastic artery
E. Arteriole
54. You are one of the prosectors for your tank in Gross Anatomy Lab. In your rush to free
the brachial plexus from its surrounding connective tissue, you inadvertently nick the
arm of one of your tank mates with a scalpel. The cells that are most likely to be
involved in the formation of new tissue at the incision site are:
A. Microglial cells
B. Reticulocytes
C. Macrophages
D. Mast cells
E. Fibroblasts
55. The protein dynein has ATPase activity. Which structure is it found associated with?
A. Centrioles
B. Cilia
C. Mitochondria
D. Intermediate filaments
E. Proteasomes
56. You are out playing golf instead of studying for the Histology exam and manage to tear
a ligament in your rotator cuff. Fearing that Dr. H will not take pity on you, you try to
impress her by saying that you know the ligament is composed of:
A. Dense irregular connective tissue
B. Areolar connective tissue
C. Dense regular connective tissue
D. Type III, IV, and VII collagen
E. Wharton's connective tissue
57. A fully-formed organelle containing melanin pigment, located within a keratinocyte, is
called a:
A. Premelanocyte
B. Melanosome
C. Melanosphere
D. Melanophage
E. Melanocyte
58. You have dissected out a myelinated nerve. If you push a pin into the nerve, in order
of appearance you would pierce:
A. Endoneurium → perineurium→ epineurium→ axon
B. Perineurium→ epineurium→ axons→ myelin→ endoneurium
C. Epineurium→ perineurium→ endoneurium→ myelin→ axon
D. Perineurium→ myelin→ axons→endoneurium→epineurium
E. Epineurium→ endoneurium→ myelin→ axon→ perineurium
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59. What type of muscle is found in the diaphragm?
A. Cardiac muscle
B. Both cardiac and skeletal muscle
C. Both smooth and skeletal muscle
D. Skeletal muscle
E. Smooth muscle
60. You perform a lumbar puncture on a patient to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). What
is the route of travel of CSF from the point of initial production?
A. Superior sagittal sinus→ subarachnoid space→ arachnoid villi→ lateral sagittal
sinus
B. Choroid plexus→ subarachnoid space→ 3rd/4th ventricles→ arachnoid
granulations→ superior sagittal sinus
C. Choroid plexus→ ventricles→ subarachnoid space→ arachnoid villi→superior
sagittal sinus
D. Arachnoid villi→ choroid plexus→ lateral ventricles→ subarachnoid space→ 3rd
ventricle
E. 3rd/4th Ventricles→ subarachnoid space→ arachnoid granulations→lateral
ventricle→ superior sagittal sinus
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Histology Practical Exam I
1. Each of the following are found associated with the extracellular surface of this
structure EXCEPT:
A. Hydrophobic regions of phospholipids
B. Hydrophillic regions of phospholipids
C. Glycocalyx
D. Peripheral proteins
E. LDL receptors
2. This tissue:
A. Is a non-ducted exocrine gland
B. Contains numerous goblet cells
C. Is a non-ducted endocrine gland
D. Is a multicellular ducted gland
E. Functions in thermogenesis
3. Cells in this tissue:
A. ONLY undergo hypertrophy
B. ONLY undergo hyperplasia
C. Have troponin-mediated/regulated contraction
D. Have calmodulin-mediated/regulated contraction
E. Do not have gap junctions
4. Each of the following is true about this structure EXCEPT:
A. May exist independent of, or in association with, hair follicles
B. Secretes a lipid-rich product called sebum
C. Are small and inactive in most 5-year-olds
D. Highest concentration in palms, soles, forehead, and axilla
E. Function is not certain
5. The cells that line these structures:
A. Have a phagocytic function
B. Produce cerebrospinal fluid
C. Possess stereocilia and microvilli
D. Stain positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein
E. Have an apocrine mode of secretion
6. What tissue bridges the two ends of this structure?
A. Perichondrium
B. Smooth muscle
C. Skeletal muscle
D. Loose connective tissue
E. Dense, irregular connective tissue.
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7. The primary function of this tissue is:
A. Secretion
B. Contraction
C. Support
D. Protection
E. Conduction
8. Which of the following is true of this tissue?
A. The matrix contains Type I collagen fibers
B. The matrix contains elastic fibers
C. The capsules surround chondroclasts
D. The lacunae contain chondroblasts E. It is found in the fetal skeleton
9. Identify a location where this type of epithelium would be found.
A. Forearm
B. Bladder
C. Stomach
D. Nasopharynx
E. Esophagus
10. This cell seen on a normal peripheral blood smear is a:
A. Lymphocyte
B. Monocyte
C. Neutrophil
D. Erythrocyte
E. Eosinophil
11. This tissue is best classified as:
A. Reticular connective tissue
B. Smooth muscle
C. Dense irregular connective tissue
D. Nervous tissue
E. Embryonic connective tissue
12. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the structures indicated?
A. Their protein core is composed primarily of tubulin polymers
B. They move in an energy dependent manner
C. They move materials towards the alveoli
D. They move materials towards the oropharynx.
E. They can be damaged by air borne contaminants
13. Identify this structure:
A. Rete ridge
B. Epidermal-dermal junction
C. Stratum corneum
D. Dermal papilla
E. Hemidesmosome
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14. Each of the following is true regarding this tissue EXCEPT:
A. The distance between these 2 bands/lines is normally about 2 pm
B. Has nuclei located at the periphery
C. Uses lipid as its main source of substrate for energy production
D. Has a short length of contractile duration
E. Uses the sarcoplasmic reticulum in calcium cycling
15. What cells can be found in this structure?
A. Neurons
B. Plasma cells
C. Chondrocytes
D. Purkinje cells
E. Clara cells
16. Which of the following is INCORRECT concerning this tissue?
A. This tissue can undergo hyperplasia
B. This tissue can undergo hypertrophy
C. This tissue is usually red due to a high myoglobin content
D. This tissue contains specialized electro-mechanical junctions
E. This tissue contains dyads at the SR-T tubule junction
17. Each of the following is true EXCEPT:
A. Each Haversian system has a central canal
B. Osteocytes occupy the lacunae in living bone
C. The canaliculi contain osteoprogenitor cells
D. Volkmann's canals connect adjacent Haversian canals
E. The bone matrix contains Type I collagen fibers
18. This cell produces which of the following?
A. Major basic protein
B. Immunoglobulins
C. Collagen
D. Laminin
E. Histamine
19. The cell in this normal bone marrow is a:
A. Plasma cell
B. Megakaryocyte
C. Macrophage
D. Pronormoblast
E. Mast cell
20. The structure indicated is responsible for:
A. Organization of chromatin during cell division
B. Providing the energy for cell division
C. The synthesis of ribosomal RNA
D. Synthesis of histone proteins
E. The production of polyribosomes
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Answers
1. E
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. C
9. C
10. E
11. E
12. B
13. B
14. E
15. B
16. A
17. B
18. C
19. C
20. E
21. E
22. D
23. D
24. A
25. E
26. C
27. B
28. D
29. A
30. A
31. D
32. B
33. D
34. C
35. C
36. D
37. E
38. E
39. C
40. D
41. E
42. C
43. E
44. A
45. D
46. A
47. C
48. D
49. C
50. D
51. D
52. B
53. A
54. E
55. B
56. C
57. B
58. C
59. D
60. C
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PRACTICAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
A
D
D
D
B
B
E
E
E
C
C
C
A
C
A
A
C
E
B
C
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