Number of questions: 21

PDF file Each question has only one answer.

1.   Which of the following reagents can be used both as a fixative and a staining agent? Answer

A.  Eosin.

B.  Uranyl acetate.

C.  Acid fuchsin.

D.  Alizarin red.

E.  Picric acid.

2.   Which of the following stain(s) involve(s) an oxidation step at the beginning of the procedure? Answer

1.           Gomori's methenamine silver (GMS) netdod.

2.           Von Kossa's silver deposition method.

3.           Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) reaction.

4.           Van Gieson stain.

A.  1, 2, and 3 are true.

B.  1 and 3 are true.

C.  2 and 4 are true.

D.  Only 4 is true.

E.  All of the above.

3.   Sodium thiosulfate (or "Hypo") is used in the type of stain that is illustrated here. The function of sodium thiosulfate is: Answer

A.  To activate the molecules to react with silver ion.

B.  To harden the tissue.

C.  To differentiate the intensity of the staining.

D.  To remove unreacted silver ions.

E.  To tone down the staining.

4.   Which of the following stains uses osmium tetraoxide to stain for myelin? Answer

A.  Klüver-Barrera stain.

B.  Marchi's impregnation method.

C.  Weil's method.

D.  Gallocyanin stain.

E.  Pal-Weigert method.

5.   Which of the following is not true about terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)? Answer

A.  This process labels the nick ends of DNA.

B.  This process is sequence dependent.

C.  This process can be performed on a section or in a liquid sample.

D.  This process can be used to detect apoptotic cells on sections in many situations.

E.  This process can be used with enzyme linked method or fluorescent dye in order to be visualized on tissue sections.

6.   Sections to be viewed under the electron microscope (ultra thin sections) are usually cut at what thickness? Answer

A.  5-10 nm.

B.  60-90 nm.

C.  190-240 nm.

D.  0.5-1.0 mm.

E.  None of the above.

7.   What is the artifact being illustrated in this hematoxylin-eosin stained intraoperative cytologic preparation from a pituitary adenoma? Answer

A.  Left in methanol for too long.

B.  Left in air for too long before fixation with methanol.

C.  Left in xylene for too long.

D.  The hematoxylin is not functioning properly.

E.  There is no artifact here.

8.   Which of the following(s) is(are) true in the illustration here regarding the stain being used for this cytologic preparation? Answer

1.           The stain is most consistent with a DiffQuick stain.

2.           The slide should be thoroughly air dried before staining.

3.           This type of stain is commonly used for the examination of cytologic specimens in North America.

4.           Similar results can be obtained in smears with other Romanowsky family of stains.

A.  1, 2, and 3 are true.

B.  1 and 3 are true.

C.  2 and 4 are true.

D.  Only 4 is true.

E.  All of the above.

9.   The numerical aperture of the optical pathway of a microscope is: Answer

1.           Limited by the numerical aperture of the objective.

2.           Affected by the condenser diaphragm.

3.           Limited by the the refractive index of the medium of the optical pathway.

4.           Determined and limited by the type of illumination (i.e., whether it is bright field, dark field or fluorescent).

A.  1, 2, and 3 are true.

B.  1 and 3 are true.

C.  2 and 4 are true.

D.  Only 4 is true.

E.  All of the above.

10. Which of the following reagent(s) is(are) used in electron microscopy? Answer

A.  Uranyl acetate.

B.  Osmium tetraoxide.

C.  Lead nitrate.

D.  All of the above.

E.  None of the above.

11. Which of the following fixatives does not contain heavy metal? Answer

A.  Zenker's fixative.

B.  Osmic acid fixatives.

C.  B-5 fixative.

D.  Bouin's fixative.

E.  Olmacher's fixative.

12. The paraffin sections for routine diagnostic surgical pathology are cut at a thickness of: Answer

A.  4-8 nm.

B.  40-80 nm.

C.  4-8 mm.

D.  40-80 mm.

E.  None of the above.

13. Which of the following(s) is(are) true regarding this preparation that is obtained from a normal anterior pituitary gland? Answer

1.           The stain being used demonstrates the reticulin fibers.

2.           The stain being used is a Verhoeff elastic stain.

3.           The staining mechanism involves reducing activated silver ion into silver metal.

4.           The staining solution being used is composed of a hematoxylin with high concentration of ferric chloride.

A.  1, 2, and 3 are true.

B.  1 and 3 are true.

C.  2 and 4 are true.

D.  Only 4 is true.

E.  All of the above.

14. The thickness of ultra thin sections for electron microscopy can be estimated by? Answer

A.  The readings on the telescope that is attached to the ultra-microtome.

B.  The time it takes for the section to sink to the bottom of the water trough.

C.  The reflected color of the floating tissue section.

D.  The darkness of the section through transmitted light.

E.  The thickness can only be estimated with the electron microscope.

15. What is the chemical that is used to produce the brown color in this peroxidase mediated immunohistochemistry preparation that is performed with a primary antibody specific for synaptophysin? Answer

A.  Fast red TR.

B.  3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole.

C.  Diaminobenzidine.

D.  Nitro blue tetrazolium.

E.  Hexazotized new fuchsin.

16. Which of the following is not true about in situ hybridization? Answer

A.  It is used to detect a specific sequence of DNA or RNA in tissue section.

B.  The process involves annealing of the probe and the target polynucleotide sequence.

C.  The signal can be generated by enzyme-linked, fluorescent, or radioactive methods.

D.  The probe must be DNA in nature.

E.  There is a limitation on the length of the probe.

17. Which of the following reactions is the best choice to demonstrate only DNA? Answer

A.  Gallocyanin-chrome alum method.

B.  Feulgen reaction.

C.  Hematoxylin stain.

D.  Solochrome cyanine method.

E.  Thioflavine S stain.

18. This is a portion of the cerebral cortex and white matter stained by modified Bielschowsky stain The findings being illustrated here are most consistent with: Answer

A.  "Swiss cheese" artifact due to gas production resulted from post mortem bacterial overgrowth.

B.  The specimen has been fixed in formalin and then frozen (freezing artifact).

C.  Over digestion by enzyme at the initial steps as required by modified Bielschowsky stain.

D.  Wax cracks due to in proper processing of the tissue.

E.  Knife marks.

19. Which of the followings is not true for the succinate dehydrogenase preparation of muscle biopsy as illustrated here? Answer

A.  This preparation detects an enzyme that is present in both the mitochondria and tubules.

B.  This preparation can be used to detect abnormal mitochondrial accumulation in mitochondrial diseases.

C.  The substrate will turn blue if the enzyme is present in the biopsy tissue.

D.  Type I fibers will stain dark and type II fibers will stain pale.

E.  This preparation can be used to demonstrate the core in central core disease.

20. The light and dark bands that are perpendicular to the long axis of the muscle fiber in this resin embedded, toulidine blue stained semi-thin (0.5-1 mm) section are: Answer

A.  Knife marks.

B.  Caused by inhomogeneous curing of the block.

C.  Uneven staining ripples.

D.  Caused by vibration of the block, the block holder, or the knife.

E.  Insufficient osmium concentration leading to softening of the block.

21. Hematoxylin stain with progressive formulae: Answer

A.  Are widely used by many first year residents who want to make progress and be promoted to the second year.

B.  Are used only by scientists who already had stellate achievements, such as getting the Nobel prize.

C.  Are used to remediate medical students who have made no progress during their pathology rotation.

D.  Are designed for the automatic staining machines so that slides racks can progress forward.

E.  Give a darker staining intensity with longer staining time.