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NWCA Medical Assistant Practice Exam

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Cilia are hairlike projections extending from certain epithelial cells. These trap and prevent microorganisms from entering deeper into the body.
Correct Answer:
Trap pathogens and prevent microorganisms from entering deeper into the body
Explanation:
Cilia help protect the respiratory tract through mucociliary clearance. Epithelial cells lining the airways have hairlike projections that beat in coordinated waves, trapping inhaled particles in a mucus layer produced by goblet cells. The cilia then move this mucus upward toward the throat, where it can be swallowed or coughed out, preventing pathogens from reaching deeper tissues. Other bodily functions listed—circulating blood, producing antibodies, and digesting pathogens—are handled by the circulatory system and immune/digestive systems, not by cilia.

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