Cell death MCQs With Answer

Introduction: Cell death MCQs With Answer are essential study aids for B. Pharm students preparing for pharmacology and toxicology exams. This focused compilation covers apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis, with questions on molecular pathways (caspases, Bcl-2 family, RIP kinases), biomarkers, detection assays (TUNEL, Annexin V/PI), and drug modulators (caspase inhibitors, Bcl-2 antagonists). Designed to deepen understanding of mechanisms, therapeutic targets and toxicity assessment, these questions link basic cell biology to drug discovery and safety evaluation. Ideal for revision and exam practice, the set emphasizes clinical and experimental relevance. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which protein family plays a central role in regulating mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization during intrinsic apoptosis?

• Bcl-2 family
• Toll-like receptors
• Caspase family
• Heat shock proteins

Correct Answer: Bcl-2 family

Q2. Which caspase is primarily responsible for the execution phase of apoptosis by cleaving cellular substrates?

• Caspase-8
• Caspase-3
• Caspase-9
• Caspase-1

Correct Answer: Caspase-3

Q3. Release of which mitochondrial protein into the cytosol triggers apoptosome formation and activation of caspase-9?

• Cytochrome c
• Bax
• Apaf-1
• SMAC/DIABLO

Correct Answer: Cytochrome c

Q4. Which death receptor is commonly associated with the extrinsic apoptotic pathway?

• Fas (CD95)
• TGF-β receptor
• EGFR
• Insulin receptor

Correct Answer: Fas (CD95)

Q5. Annexin V binding combined with propidium iodide (PI) staining is used to distinguish which cell populations?

• Proliferating vs. quiescent cells
• Live, early apoptotic, and late apoptotic/necrotic cells
• S-phase vs. G2/M phase cells
• Necroptotic vs. pyroptotic cells

Correct Answer: Live, early apoptotic, and late apoptotic/necrotic cells

Q6. Which molecule inhibits caspases and is often used experimentally as a pan-caspase inhibitor?

• Z-VAD-FMK
• Venetoclax
• Staurosporine
• Buthionine sulfoximine

Correct Answer: Z-VAD-FMK

Q7. Which protein forms pores in the plasma membrane during pyroptosis?

• Gasdermin D
• MLKL
• Perforin
• Annexin V

Correct Answer: Gasdermin D

Q8. Necroptosis is a regulated form of necrosis primarily mediated by which kinases?

• RIPK1 and RIPK3
• JAK1 and TYK2
• PI3K and AKT
• MAPK1 and MAPK3

Correct Answer: RIPK1 and RIPK3

Q9. Ferroptosis is characterized by which biochemical event?

• Iron-dependent lipid peroxidation
• Caspase-3 activation
• Mitochondrial swelling due to calcium overload
• DNA laddering due to endonuclease activity

Correct Answer: Iron-dependent lipid peroxidation

Q10. Which enzyme protects cells from ferroptosis by reducing lipid hydroperoxides?

• GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4)
• SOD1 (Superoxide dismutase)
• Catalase
• Phospholipase A2

Correct Answer: GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4)

Q11. What morphological feature most strongly distinguishes apoptosis from necrosis?

• Cell swelling and membrane rupture
• Nuclear fragmentation and cell shrinkage
• Inflammatory cell infiltration
• Increased cell adhesion

Correct Answer: Nuclear fragmentation and cell shrinkage

Q12. Which assay detects DNA fragmentation by labeling free 3’-OH termini and is used as an apoptosis marker?

• TUNEL assay
• MTS assay
• ELISA for TNF-α
• Western blot for actin

Correct Answer: TUNEL assay

Q13. Which Bcl-2 family protein is pro-apoptotic and promotes mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization?

• Bcl-2
• Bad
• Bax
• Mcl-1

Correct Answer: Bax

Q14. SMAC/DIABLO promotes apoptosis by antagonizing which class of proteins?

• Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs)
• Heat shock proteins
• NF-κB family proteins
• MAP kinases

Correct Answer: Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs)

Q15. Which technique directly measures caspase enzymatic activity in cell lysates?

• Flow cytometry for Annexin V
• Colorimetric/fluorometric caspase substrate assays
• MTT cell viability assay
• Immunohistochemistry for LC3

Correct Answer: Colorimetric/fluorometric caspase substrate assays

Q16. Which drug is a Bcl-2 inhibitor used clinically to induce apoptosis in certain cancers?

• Venetoclax (ABT-199)
• Paclitaxel
• Cisplatin
• Metformin

Correct Answer: Venetoclax (ABT-199)

Q17. Activation of which caspase is most closely associated with the intrinsic apoptotic pathway upstream of executioner caspases?

• Caspase-8
• Caspase-9
• Caspase-1
• Caspase-6

Correct Answer: Caspase-9

Q18. Autophagy primarily serves which cellular function under nutrient-deprived conditions?

• Programmed cell death by caspases
• Degradation and recycling of cellular components
• Induction of immediate necrosis
• Activation of inflammasomes

Correct Answer: Degradation and recycling of cellular components

Q19. LC3-II formation is a marker for which cellular process?

• Apoptosis
• Autophagosome formation during autophagy
• Necroptosis
• Ferroptosis

Correct Answer: Autophagosome formation during autophagy

Q20. Which protein is essential for inflammasome-mediated activation of caspase-1 in pyroptosis?

• Apaf-1
• NLRP3
• Bax
• Atg7

Correct Answer: NLRP3

Q21. Which feature is characteristic of necrosis but not of classical apoptosis?

• Chromatin condensation
• ATP-dependent cellular shrinkage
• Plasma membrane rupture and inflammation
• Phosphatidylserine externalization without membrane permeabilization

Correct Answer: Plasma membrane rupture and inflammation

Q22. In drug development, measuring LDH release from cultured cells is commonly used to assess what?

• Membrane integrity and necrotic cell death
• Caspase activation in apoptosis
• Autophagy flux
• Mitochondrial DNA damage

Correct Answer: Membrane integrity and necrotic cell death

Q23. Which molecule acts as an apoptosis repressor by binding and neutralizing pro-apoptotic proteins?

• Bax
• p53
• Bcl-2
• Cytochrome c

Correct Answer: Bcl-2

Q24. Which cell death process is most often associated with inflammation due to release of intracellular DAMPs?

• Apoptosis
• Autophagy
• Necrosis and necroptosis
• Mitotic catastrophe

Correct Answer: Necrosis and necroptosis

Q25. Which compound is commonly used experimentally to induce apoptosis via protein kinase inhibition?

• Staurosporine
• Erastin
• Ferrostatin-1
• Necrostatin-1

Correct Answer: Staurosporine

Q26. Which pathway mediates anoikis, a form of apoptosis triggered by loss of cell-matrix interactions?

• Intrinsic mitochondrial pathway involving Bcl-2 family modulation
• Ferroptotic lipid peroxidation pathway
• Pyroptotic caspase-1 activation
• Necroptotic RIPK activation

Correct Answer: Intrinsic mitochondrial pathway involving Bcl-2 family modulation

Q27. Which readout would best indicate activation of the inflammasome in cultured macrophages?

• Increased LC3-II levels
• Release of IL-1β and cleavage of pro-caspase-1
• Annexin V positivity without PI staining
• Increased GPX4 expression

Correct Answer: Release of IL-1β and cleavage of pro-caspase-1

Q28. The small molecule Necrostatin-1 inhibits which process?

• Autophagy initiation
• RIPK1-dependent necroptosis
• GPX4 activity causing ferroptosis
• Caspase-3 executioner activity

Correct Answer: RIPK1-dependent necroptosis

Q29. Which transcription factor is a key regulator of the cellular response to DNA damage and can induce apoptosis?

• NF-κB
• p53
• STAT3
• HIF-1α

Correct Answer: p53

Q30. Which assay distinguishes apoptotic DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal ladders on agarose gel?

• Western blot for caspase-3
• DNA laddering assay
• Flow cytometry for cell cycle
• Comet assay

Correct Answer: DNA laddering assay

Q31. Which of the following best describes mitotic catastrophe?

• Programmed cell death driven by caspase-1
• Cell death resulting from aberrant mitosis leading to multinucleation
• Iron-dependent lipid peroxidation-dependent death
• Autophagy-mediated survival only

Correct Answer: Cell death resulting from aberrant mitosis leading to multinucleation

Q32. Which ion is most directly implicated in mitochondrial permeability transition contributing to necrosis?

• Iron
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Magnesium

Correct Answer: Calcium

Q33. Which protein serves as an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets pro-apoptotic proteins for proteasomal degradation, thereby affecting cell death?

• MDM2
• GPX4
• Bax
• FasL

Correct Answer: MDM2

Q34. Which drug mechanism would likely sensitize cancer cells to intrinsic apoptosis?

• Upregulation of Bcl-2 expression
• Inhibition of caspase activation
• Inhibition of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (e.g., BH3 mimetics)
• Activation of GPX4 to prevent lipid peroxidation

Correct Answer: Inhibition of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (e.g., BH3 mimetics)

Q35. Which marker indicates early apoptosis when detected by flow cytometry?

• Annexin V positive, PI negative
• Annexin V negative, PI positive
• Annexin V positive, PI positive
• Both Annexin V and PI negative

Correct Answer: Annexin V positive, PI negative

Q36. Which of the following is a hallmark biochemical event of apoptosis?

• ATP depletion and necrotic swelling
• Activation of endonucleases leading to internucleosomal DNA cleavage
• Extensive lipid peroxidation leading to membrane rupture
• Gasdermin D pore formation

Correct Answer: Activation of endonucleases leading to internucleosomal DNA cleavage

Q37. Which cellular organelle is most directly involved in intrinsic apoptosis signaling?

• Endoplasmic reticulum
• Mitochondria
• Golgi apparatus
• Lysosome

Correct Answer: Mitochondria

Q38. In the context of autophagy modulation for therapy, which strategy might increase cancer cell death by blocking autophagy-mediated survival?

• Use of autophagy inhibitors like chloroquine
• Use of mTOR activators to induce autophagy
• Overexpression of Atg proteins
• Administration of ferrostatin-1

Correct Answer: Use of autophagy inhibitors like chloroquine

Q39. Which lipid peroxidation inhibitor is used experimentally to block ferroptosis?

• Necrostatin-1
• Ferrostatin-1
• Z-VAD-FMK
• Staurosporine

Correct Answer: Ferrostatin-1

Q40. Which molecule is a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) released from necrotic cells that can trigger inflammation?

• ATP
• Cytochrome c exclusively signals apoptosis
• Annexin V
• LC3-II

Correct Answer: ATP

Q41. Which specialized protease family initiates and executes pyroptosis via cleavage of gasdermin proteins?

• Caspase-1 and inflammatory caspases (e.g., caspase-4/5/11)
• Caspase-8 exclusively
• Caspase-9 only
• Calpains

Correct Answer: Caspase-1 and inflammatory caspases (e.g., caspase-4/5/11)

Q42. Which experimental readout would indicate increased autophagic flux rather than blocked autophagy?

• Accumulation of LC3-II with decreased p62 degradation
• Increased LC3-II and decreased p62 levels following lysosomal inhibition controls
• Decreased LC3-II and increased p62
• No change in LC3-II or p62

Correct Answer: Increased LC3-II and decreased p62 levels following lysosomal inhibition controls

Q43. Which term describes programmed cell death that is caspase-independent but involves AIF (apoptosis-inducing factor)?

• Intrinsic apoptosis
• Parthanatos or AIF-mediated caspase-independent death
• Pyroptosis
• Ferroptosis

Correct Answer: Parthanatos or AIF-mediated caspase-independent death

Q44. Which regulatory protein senses cellular oxidative stress and can promote ferroptosis when depleted or inhibited?

• Glutathione (GSH) and GPX4 pathway components
• Annexin V
• Caspase-3
• p53 only acts against ferroptosis

Correct Answer: Glutathione (GSH) and GPX4 pathway components

Q45. Which pharmacological approach can protect neurons from ferroptosis in experimental models?

• GPX4 inhibitors
• Iron chelators and lipid peroxidation inhibitors
• Pro-oxidant treatments
• Bcl-2 overexpression only

Correct Answer: Iron chelators and lipid peroxidation inhibitors

Q46. Which caspase is typically associated with death receptor (extrinsic) pathway activation?

• Caspase-9
• Caspase-8
• Caspase-3
• Caspase-1

Correct Answer: Caspase-8

Q47. Which technique is suitable for single-cell resolution detection of DNA strand breaks due to apoptosis?

• Comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis)
• ELISA for TNF-α
• Mass spectrometry for lipids
• qPCR for mitochondrial genes

Correct Answer: Comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis)

Q48. Which hallmark distinguishes regulated necrosis (necroptosis) from unregulated necrosis?

• Dependence on RIP kinases and signaling cascade
• Immediate and random membrane rupture without signaling
• Exclusive involvement of caspase-3
• Autophagosome accumulation

Correct Answer: Dependence on RIP kinases and signaling cascade

Q49. Which of the following is a common downstream consequence of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP)?

• Inhibition of cytochrome c release
• Release of pro-apoptotic factors like cytochrome c and SMAC into the cytosol
• Immediate activation of GPX4
• Complete preservation of ATP levels

Correct Answer: Release of pro-apoptotic factors like cytochrome c and SMAC into the cytosol

Q50. For B. Pharm students, understanding cell death mechanisms is crucial primarily because:

• It is only relevant to basic biology courses
• It informs drug target selection, toxicity prediction, and therapeutic strategies
• It replaces the need to study pharmacokinetics
• It only applies to plant physiology

Correct Answer: It informs drug target selection, toxicity prediction, and therapeutic strategies

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