NBME Histology Practice Test

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• Which anatomical structure in large arteries provides elasticity and recoil during the cardiac cycle?
• The brush border of the small intestine is formed primarily by which cellular extensions?
• Which cellular structure accounts for dopamine’s inability to cross the blood-brain barrier when given intravenously?
• Goblet cells are most abundant in which mucosal surfaces?
• What are the two main layers that constitute the basement membrane?
• Which CNS cell acts as the resident macrophage and clears debris?
• How are the liver’s lobules organized around central veins, and where are portal triads located?
• Enteroendocrine cells in the GI tract release which type of product?
• Which cell type is associated with lamellar bodies that store surfactant in the lungs?
• The dermis consists of two layers; which contains the dense irregular connective tissue providing skin's tensile strength?
• Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid containing elastase most likely indicates production by which cell type?
• In a lymph node, which zones predominantly contain B cells and which contain T cells?
• If third pharyngeal pouches fail to form, which organ will fail to develop?
• In a peripheral blood smear, which cells are anucleate and biconcave?
• Which cell type is the principal source of alveolar epithelium regeneration after injury?
• In the collecting duct, which channel mediates water reabsorption in response to ADH?
• Which type of collagen predominates in dense regular connective tissue such as tendons?
• Which mechanism best explains the pathogenesis of intraepidermal blistering with acantholysis and preservation of the basal layer in pemphigus vulgaris?
• Which tissue layer contains cells that can assist in producing new bone to heal a fracture?
• What is the major histological difference between fundic (body/fundus) gastric glands and pyloric glands?
• Retina contains which types of photoreceptors located in the outermost layer of the neural retina?
• In adults, which is the primary site of hematopoiesis?
• Which cells provide the supportive environment for neurons?
• Which gastric cell type secretes intrinsic factor?
• How does the distal convoluted tubule differ histologically from the proximal tubule?
• A hepatocyte toxin that targets the organelle involved in drug detoxification would primarily affect which organelle?
• Which mechanism best explains PTH-induced activation of osteoclasts leading to bone resorption?
• Which alveolar cell type is primarily responsible for surfactant production?
• Spleen white pulp is organized into PALS and lymphoid follicles; which component supplies B-cell zones?
• What anatomical features maximize absorptive surface area in the small intestine?
• A 60-year-old man with a 6-month history of fatigue has megaloblastic anemia after subtotal gastrectomy. The most likely cause is absence of which gastric cell type?
• What are the three zones of the adrenal cortex and their hormonal products?
• Which feature of cardiac muscle intercalated discs is directly responsible for the spread of electrical potentials between neighboring cells?
• Which interaction is central to osteoclast activation by osteoblasts in normal bone remodeling?
• Which zone of the adrenal cortex primarily produces mineralocorticoids (aldosterone)?
• Which motor protein moves cargo toward the axon terminal along microtubules?
• In thick skin, what epidermal layer is present that is absent in thin skin?
• Tonsils contain crypts and abundant lymphoid tissue; what type of tissue is this?
• Androgens synthesized in the ovaries are converted to estradiol in which ovarian cell type?
• Which components form the primary filtration barrier of the glomerulus?
• Within a bone's Haversian system, which canal houses blood vessels and nerves traveling through the bone?
• What epithelial type lines the majority of the conducting airways, and which cell type is most numerous within it?
• Eccrine sweat glands have what type of duct and secretory portion?
• In goblet cells, which organelle is especially prominent for mucin production?
• A patient who had subtotal gastrectomy needs lifelong replacement of which substance?
• The sarcomere is delineated by which Z-line?
• Colonic epithelium includes abundant goblet cells. What is their main function?
• An immunohistochemical stain for aquaporin water channels in the kidney would stain cells most intensely in which structure?
• In pemphigus vulgaris, autoantibodies target which epidermal junction, leading to acantholysis?
• Which nephron segment is most responsive to antidiuretic hormone in terms of water permeability?
• The juxtaglomerular apparatus regulates blood pressure via release of which enzyme?
• Which pituitary cell type is responsible for secreting growth hormone?
• What are the three types of cartilage and a key histologic difference between them?
• How can you distinguish dense irregular connective tissue from dense regular connective tissue histologically?
• Osteoclasts originate from which lineage?
• Which layer of the skin contains dense irregular connective tissue responsible for the skin's tensile strength?
• Which epithelium lines the ureters and bladder, and how does it adapt to distension?
• In an untreated HIV infection, decreased CD4+ T-lymphocyte count is most likely caused by which immunologic mechanism?
• What is the main function of the atrial natriuretic peptide secreted by the heart in heart failure?
• A patient with fluctuating weakness and a mediastinal mass tests positive for which antibody?
• Bladder mucosa is lined by which epithelium?
• Which pancreatic cells secrete insulin?
• Lymph node cortex contains which structures?
• What is the histologic identity of the alveolar septa and what major cell types reside there?
• In the thyroid, lumen contents are stored as what substance inside follicles?
• What histologic feature lines the interior surfaces of the heart chambers and valve surfaces?
• Pancreatic acinar cells secrete digestive enzymes. What is a characteristic cytoplasmic feature of these cells?
• The mucosa of both the ureter and urinary bladder is lined by which epithelium?
• Germinal centers within lymph nodes are located in which region?
• Which mechanism best explains the pathogenesis of myocardial injury after reperfusion, evidenced by elevated CK-MB and troponin I?
• Which marker is most commonly used to identify endothelial cells in histology?
• Which component forms the central passage in an osteon of mature bone?
• What histologic feature distinguishes elastic cartilage from hyaline cartilage?
• Which liver cells secrete bile into canaliculi?
• Which intercellular junctions are present at cardiac intercalated discs to provide mechanical and electrical coupling?
• What is the primary function of hepatocytes in bile formation?
• Which marker is most appropriate to monitor for recurrence of medullary thyroid carcinoma?
• How do intercalated ducts differ from striated ducts in exocrine glands histologically?
• A drug intended to increase epithelial turnover in the small intestine would target which structure?
• Which glomerular cell type is primarily involved in phagocytosis of immune complexes and supports the capillary loops?
• A 35-year-old woman experiences marked thirst and excessive urination after brain tumor surgery, with very low urine specific gravity. What is the most likely diagnosis?
• Chief cells in the stomach secrete which enzyme precursor?
• What is the dominant epithelium of the epididymis and its unique feature?
• Which cells in the testes secrete testosterone?
• Which type of cartilage contains dense collagen bundles and is typical of intervertebral discs?
• What are the major histological features of the small intestinal mucosa?
• What are the main components of a basement membrane, and which type predominates in glomerular basement membranes?
• Excessive uterine bleeding with abundant endometrial tissue is most likely due to which condition?
• Which cells in the collecting duct are primarily responsible for water reabsorption when stimulated by ADH?
• In the collecting duct of the kidney, which cell type regulates water reabsorption under ADH influence?
• Which cells secrete pulmonary surfactant, and what is the importance of surfactant?
• In a Haversian system, what structure houses blood vessels and nerves?
• Which structural distinction separates spleen white pulp from red pulp?
• Which liver cell resides within sinusoids and performs phagocytosis?
• A newborn with macrocephaly, poor skull mineralization, short limbs, and fractures likely has a defect in which extracellular component?
• Leydig cells are found in which tissue and produce which hormone?
• The glomerular filtration barrier comprises three layers; name them.
• Which hormone is secreted by the adrenal medulla?
• Bronchioles are lined by what type of epithelium?
• In mature bone, which cell type is primarily responsible for bone resorption?
• Which nephron segment is highly permeable to water but relatively impermeable to solutes, driving water reabsorption?
• The tissue lining the true vocal cords is best described as which type of epithelium?
• The exocrine portion of the pancreas is composed of?
• Elastic arteries have which specialized layer that distinguishes them from muscular arteries?
• In an experiment, ribosomes detach from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This would most directly impair the synthesis of which type of proteins?
• Which hormone most likely provoked the current epigastric pain after a fatty meal by stimulating gallbladder contraction?
• What liver vascular channels allow dissemination of blood between hepatic sinusoids and hepatocytes?
• Disruption of tight junctions between which testicular cells leads to an autoimmune response to germ cell products?
• Which cells synthesize and secrete pulmonary surfactant to reduce alveolar surface tension?
• Elastic cartilage is distinguished histologically by abundant elastic fibers. Which of the following tissues is elastic cartilage?
• Where are goblet cells most abundant and what is their function?
• Which characteristic of proximal tubule cells supports their high reabsorptive capacity?
• Parietal (oxyntic) cells in the stomach secrete which products?
• Which cell type is most likely involved in initiating the lesion in Paget disease of bone?
• The transitional epithelium lining the ureter is also known as which name?
• Craniopharyngiomas commonly exhibit which histologic feature, reflecting their origin from Rathke pouch?
• Describe the organization of the endocrine portion of the pancreas.
• Which epidermal cells are primarily responsible for regenerating the epidermis and reside in the deepest layer?
• Which cell type comprises the visceral layer of Bowman's capsule?
• Liver histology shows hepatocytes with eosinophilic cytoplasm and nuclear fragmentation; which process is most likely occurring?
• A patient presents with a blistering skin disorder; direct immunofluorescence shows IgG on keratinocytes. Which cell–cell junction is most likely involved?
• Podocytes are specialized cells associated with which structure in the kidney?
• Which hormone is stored and released by the posterior pituitary and is derived from neural ectoderm?
• In neurons, which cytoplasmic structure is abundant and stains basophilic due to its RNA content?
• After immobilization for a leg injury, a patient shows decreased calf circumference due to which mechanism?
• Which alveolar cell type is responsible for surfactant production?
• Which epithelium lines mucosa in the urinary tract such as ureter and bladder?
• Which epithelium lines the Fallopian tube with secretory peg cells?
• Which junction type provides mechanical coupling at intercalated discs?
• Thyroid follicles are lined by what epithelial cell type, and what is found within the lumen?
• What cell type stores triglycerides and appears as signet-ring cells in histology sections?
• A subepidermal blister with autoantibodies directed against which proteins?
• What structural organization characterizes mature bone histology?
• Which region of the spleen contains periarterial lymphatic sheaths associated with white pulp?
• The hair follicle is associated with sebaceous glands; what is their secretory product?
• Which cells are responsible for detecting linear movements and head position in the inner ear?
• Which cell type forms the slit diaphragms of the glomerular filtration barrier?
• In a transplantation experiment, thymocyte precursors engineered to overexpress bc/-2 would most likely cause which change in the thymus compared with controls?
• Which cell type proliferates to restore the alveolar epithelium after injury?
• Which cell type forms the majority of the alveolar lining and facilitates gas exchange?
• The cuboidal alveolar cells with lamellar bodies (1–2 μm in diameter) are responsible for producing which substance?
• Which layer of the skin contains hair follicles and sebaceous glands?
• Spleen white pulp is associated with which immune components?
• Which feature is last to disappear as the epithelium changes along the respiratory tract?
• Which cells are the absorptive cells lining the intestinal villi with microvilli?
• Which thyroid cells secrete calcitonin?
• In cardiac muscle, which junction in intercalated discs provides electrochemical coupling?
• Which arterial wall layer houses elastic lamellae?
• Which feature disappears first along the respiratory tract during histologic remodeling?
• Which cells line the alveolar walls for gas exchange, and what other alveolar cell type is present?
• Progressive thirst and urinary frequency suggest dysfunction of which endocrine structure?
• Blockade of dynein would most directly reduce which neuronal process?
• In a couple with infertility, with normal semen but markedly low fructose, which male reproductive structure is likely deficient?
• What type of epithelium lines the majority of the alveolar surface to facilitate gas exchange?
• The posterior pituitary releases which hormones synthesized in the hypothalamus?
• What is the basic functional unit of the nervous system visible under light microscopy?
• Gap junctions at intercalated discs provide which kind of coupling?
• What is a defining histologic feature of smooth muscle tissue?
• Which specialized cardiac conduction tissue cell type is found in the subendocardial layer, and what is a hallmark of its cytoplasm?
• Goblet cells are particularly abundant in which part of the GI tract?
• The reticular lamina of the basement membrane is primarily contributed by which tissue cell type?
• A 16-year-old boy with no signs of puberty; Which hormone measurement would determine whether low testosterone is due to lack of pituitary stimulus?
• Which hepatic cells store vitamin A and become activated in fibrosis?
• Organ of Corti hair cells are located in which part of the ear?
• In the pancreatic islets, which cells secrete insulin?
• Which component forms the fenestrated part of the glomerular filtration barrier?
• What structural feature forms bile canaliculi between adjacent hepatocytes?
• What is the functional significance of fenestrations in glomerular capillaries, and which cells contribute to the filtration barrier?
• A child with a calcified cystic mass in the suprasellar region causing growth hormone deficiency most likely originates from which embryologic structure?
• Which type of capillary is characterized by large gaps between endothelial cells and is seen in the liver and bone marrow?
• Which immune cells are present in alveolar spaces that phagocytose debris?
• M cells, which transport antigens across the intestinal epithelium, are most abundant in Peyer's patches located in which segment of the small intestine?
• Which gland's development is linked to the third pharyngeal pouch and is essential for T cell development?
• In the lymph node, where are plasma cells predominantly located?
• Which glial cell forms myelin in the central nervous system?
• Elastic cartilage is distinguished histologically by abundant elastic fibers. Name two anatomic locations where it is found.
• Which component forms the renal glomerular filtration barrier?
• How do bronchi differ histologically from bronchioles?
• What is the histologic signature of the proximal tubule in the kidney?
• Kinesin and dynein are motor proteins that function with which cytoskeletal element?
• In the ovarian follicle, which hormone primarily stimulates aromatase expression in granulosa cells to convert androgens to estrogens?
• The optic disc in the retina is anatomically notable for lacking which tissue component, accounting for the blind spot?
• Ureter mucosa is lined by which epithelium?
• Where are parafollicular C cells located in the thyroid gland?
• The periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths (PALS) in spleen white pulp are primarily associated with which lymphocyte type?
• Which deficiency causes failure of the neutrophil respiratory burst, leading to recurrent catalase-positive bacterial infections?
• Lamellar bodies in type II pneumocytes primarily store which surfactant component?
• In a study of respiratory mucosa, which feature is last to disappear as the airway becomes distal?
• What structural unit within skeletal muscle is responsible for the characteristic cross-striations?
• The action potential causes current to flow deep within the skeletal muscle fiber by which mechanism?
• Which hormone is primarily produced by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex?
• What type of collagen predominates in epithelial basement membranes and the glomerular basement membrane?
• In the colon, goblet cells predominantly produce which substance for lubrication?
• An autopsy of a young woman reveals alveolar epithelium; the alveolar surface area is primarily covered by which cell type?
• What histological features define the adrenal medulla?
• Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is best described as tissue associated with mucous membranes.
• A 35-year-old woman with a gynecologic biopsy: Which genital structure is correctly matched with its epithelial lining?
• Which histologic feature distinguishes pancreatic acinar cells from pancreatic islets?
• Which epidermal cells are primarily responsible for pigment production contributing to skin color?
• A patient undergoing vinblastine chemotherapy is assessed at the end of treatment. Which change is most likely?
• Endometrial hyperplasia is most directly associated with signaling through which receptor?
• Which clinical or histologic feature is most characteristic of pemphigus vulgaris?
• Describe the histologic organization of the testes' seminiferous tubules.
• Perilymph is normally found in which part of the inner ear?
• What histologic feature defines a central passage in an osteon?
• Ragged red fibers are seen in mitochondrial myopathy due to defects in which energy-producing pathway?
• Which combination best describes the glomerular filtration barrier?
• A 5-year-old boy with ragged red fibers on muscle biopsy most likely has impairment in which metabolic pathway?
• What is the portal triad in the liver, and what does it consist of?
• Which cytoskeletal element serves as tracks for intracellular transport and is the substrate for dynein and kinesin?
• Which pancreatic cell type secretes insulin?
• Which gastric mucosal cell type is primarily responsible for acid secretion?
• Germinal centers within lymphoid follicles are primarily composed of which cells?
• Goblet cells are characteristic of which epithelial type in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts?
• During a Shigella outbreak linked to a potato salad, which intestinal cells are primarily responsible for uptake of the bacteria?
• Which epidermal layer is primarily responsible for water retention due to keratin-filled cells?
• What histologic features characterize skeletal muscle tissue?
• Where are Paneth cells located and what is their function?
• Which intestinal cell type is responsible for hormone secretion along the epithelium and is difficult to identify with standard H&E?
• Which intestinal cells secrete mucus in the intestinal mucosa?
• Which cells of the seminiferous tubules provide nourishment and form the blood-testis barrier?
• What does the thyroid gland histology reveal about colloid and follicle cells?
• Which hormone is produced by the interstitial tissue of the testis?
• What structures are formed by the apical membranes of adjacent hepatocytes surrounding bile canaliculi?
• Which leukocyte category is considered agranulocytic?
• Besides CD31, which marker is commonly used to identify endothelial cells in histology?
• Which cells in the epidermis act as antigen-presenting cells and express CD1a?
• Calcitonin is produced by which thyroid cell type?
• Which histologic feature is most characteristic of Paget disease of bone?
• Which skin component most contributes to the skin’s barrier against water loss?
• Disruption of Sertoli cell tight junctions would primarily alter the environment of developing germ cells inside which structure?
• What cells produce catecholamines in the adrenal gland and where are they located?
• Which collagen type predominates in the basal lamina of basement membranes?
• Which gastric gland cells secrete acid and pepsinogen, respectively?
• What is the space of Disse in the liver?
• In glands with mixed serous and mucous acini, what histologic feature indicates serous demilunes?
• A researcher studies a toxin that specifically targets the motor protein kinesin. Which cellular component would be absent on histology?
• The oviduct (fallopian tube) is lined by what epithelium?
• Phosphodiesterase inhibitors improve pulmonary hypertension by increasing intracellular levels of which messenger?
• A young man with cough and hoarseness; a small DNA virus with affinity for stratified squamous epithelium; which respiratory structure is most likely affected?