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Question #46851
The Question
A patient suffering from a prolonged dietary deficiency of ascorbic acid exhibits bleeding gums, fragile blood vessels, and weakened tendons. At the molecular level, the loss of tensile strength in their connective tissue fibers is directly attributed to:
Options
- A.
Inability of lysyl oxidase to form covalent cross-links between tropocollagen molecules.
- B.
Failure to maintain iron in the ferrous (Fe2+) state, preventing the hydroxylation of proline residues in procollagen.
- C.
Defective cleavage of the registration peptides from procollagen by extracellular peptidases.
- D.
Impaired transcription of the genes encoding the alpha-chains of collagen in fibroblasts.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Regulatory_Failure
Understand how NOT, EXCEPT, and logical constraints are used to manipulate exam results.
Concepts Behind This Question
Collagen|Fibroblasts|Proline_Hydroxylase
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students generally know that Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy and affects collagen.
However, the high-yield NEET-Plus trap lies in distinguishing the exact post-translational modification (hydroxylation vs. cross-linking) and the specific cofactors involved (Vitamin C for maintaining Fe2+ in prolyl hydroxylase vs.
Copper for lysyl oxidase).
This tests the depth of understanding of extracellular matrix synthesis.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Structural Organisation in Animals - Class 11 |
| Concept | Connective Tissue Fiber Composition |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |