Biotechnology for Health and Disease

Development to Cancer Pretest

Twenty questions, twenty to thirty minutes. Most of these are about ideas you have not studied yet, and that is the point: this is a starting line, not a test you can fail. Answer what you think, and guess when you need to.

You will get a receipt when you submit, not a score. You see these core questions again at the end, so a score now would mostly measure how well you remembered the feedback.

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0 of 20 answered

Question 1 of 20
Two skin cells contain the same pigment gene, but only one cell makes the pigment protein. Which explanation is best?
The inactive cell removed the pigment gene from its DNA.The two cells must have entirely different chromosome numbers.The cells regulate expression of the pigment gene differently.The active cell absorbed the finished protein from nearby blood.
Question 2 of 20
Two developing palates fail to fuse and look similar. In one, a signal is missing. In the other, cells cannot respond to the signal. What follows?
The signal must be unrelated because both cases look alike.The visible outcome identifies which molecular step failed.Two different mechanisms can produce the same visible outcome.The similar appearance proves both cases have the same mutation.
Question 3 of 20
Cells already committed to cartilage stop migrating when Signal X is removed. A different motility signal restores migration, and the cells still become cartilage. What role did Signal X most likely play?
It permitted the migration, and did not set cartilage identity.It instructed cartilage identity and nothing else.It permanently changed every gene in the cells.It served only as a structural part of the cartilage.
Question 4 of 20
A cell still contains a working growth-brake gene, but regulatory proteins keep the gene silent. Which statement is most accurate?
The brake protein must be present at a high level.The brake gene has become an oncogene.The brake gene is still present but is repressed.The cell deleted the brake gene from every chromosome.
Question 5 of 20
One cell line activates a growth pathway. Another loses a stop signal. Both divide too often. Which principle fits best?
Different disrupted pathways can converge on the same outcome.The two cell lines must contain identical mutations.Only the activated growth pathway can produce excess division.A stop signal and a growth signal are always the same molecule.
Question 6 of 20
What is differentiation?
A cell divides without any checkpoint or external signal.A tissue spreads from its original site to a distant organ.A cell replaces its DNA with genes from a nearby tissue.A cell develops a specialized identity through gene regulation.
Question 7 of 20
During normal development, cells between forming fingers undergo programmed death. What does this show?
Development builds structures only by adding more cells.The cells died because every developmental signal failed.Programmed death is evidence that the embryo has cancer.Development can sculpt tissue through programmed cell removal.
Question 8 of 20
Tumor cells reduce adhesion and move through a remodeled extracellular matrix into nearby tissue. What does this evidence support?
The cells formed a benign tumor that cannot invade.These cells support a claim of local tissue invasion.The cells completed metastasis to a distant organ.The cells changed every gene into an oncogene.
Question 9 of 20
The same signal promotes cell division early in development but promotes differentiation later. Which explanation is best?
The timing and the cell's context can change the response.The later cells must no longer contain receptors or genes.A signal has one fixed effect in every cell and at every time.The early and late signals cannot be the same molecule.
Question 10 of 20
Which description best defines cancer?
Diseases with lost growth control and possible invasion or spread.Any group of cells that divides faster than nearby tissue.Any tumor that can be seen in a medical image.An inherited condition that always appears in every family member.
Question 11 of 20
A biopsy shows abnormal cells crossing into nearby tissue. No distant sites were tested. Which conclusion stays within the evidence?
The cancer has metastasized to every major organ.The tumor is benign because no distant tumor was measured.The biopsy proves which treatment will work best.The tumor is invasive, and metastasis remains unproven.
Question 12 of 20
A targeted drug kills most cells in a tumor, but a small cell group lacks the target and survives. What is the best prediction?
All tumor cells will remain equally sensitive to the drug.The resistant group of cells may expand after treatment begins.The drug will add the missing target to every surviving cell.The surviving cells will automatically become normal tissue.
Question 13 of 20
A cell-culture experiment tests a new anticancer compound. Why are untreated cells needed?
They remove the need for replicate cultures.They identify the patient's diagnosis.They show what happens without treatment.They guarantee the compound will work in people.
Question 14 of 20
Bacteria appear in every cell-culture well, including the untreated control. What is the best first interpretation?
The anticancer drug created bacteria.The culture may be contaminated.The cells have completed metastasis.Every tumor contains bacteria.
Question 15 of 20
A drug has little effect at low dose, a strong effect at medium dose, and toxic effects at high dose. What does this show?
The highest dose is always the best dose.Dose can change both benefit and harm.The drug has no biological target.The low dose proves the cells are benign.
Question 16 of 20
CRISPR corrects a mutation in cultured cells. Which claim stays within the evidence?
The correction cured every person with the condition.The corrected gene explains every feature of the condition.The edit worked in this cell model.The edit caused no off-target changes anywhere.
Question 17 of 20
A gene knockout changes facial development in mice. What is the most appropriate use of the result?
Declare the exact diagnosis of every human cleft.Use it to test a mechanism.Ignore the result because models never inform biology.Assume mouse and human development are identical.
Question 18 of 20
Another lab repeats a study with the same protocol and gets a similar result. What quality does this support?
ReproducibilityCell differentiationMetastasisInheritance
Question 19 of 20
Researchers plan to use identifiable samples from minors. What must happen before the research begins?
Post all identifiers so other labs can verify them.Use the samples if the experiment is scientifically interesting.Skip review because the activity occurs at school.Complete required privacy and research review.
Question 20 of 20
A tumor uses two backup survival pathways. What is a rational reason to test a drug combination?
The combination makes controls unnecessary.Two drugs guarantee a permanent cure.Combinations never produce added toxicity.It may block more than one escape path.

You will get a receipt, not a score.The two confidence questions are optional.