Histology USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 28-year-old man presents with hemoptysis and dyspnea. Vital signs show BP 128/82 mmHg, HR 102/min, RR 22/min, temperature 37.2°C, and SpO2 88% on room air. Chest X-ray reveals bilateral pulmonary infiltrates consistent with alveolar hemorrhage. Serum creatinine is 2.1 mg/dL. He denies recent infections or smoking. Electron microscopy of lung biopsy demonstrates segmental thinning of the basement membrane in alveolar walls. Which structural abnormality best characterizes Goodpasture syndrome?
Answer choices
- ADisruption of Type IV collagen in the basement membraneCorrect answer
- BDeficiency of elastin in the alveolar wall
- CExcessive deposition of proteoglycans
- DReplacement of basement membrane with fibrin
- ELoss of Type I collagen in the pulmonary basement membrane
- FAccumulation of immune complexes within the glomerular basement membrane
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