Comparisons – Page 11 – Science-Education-Research

erythroblastic islands are key players in red blood cell production

An example of the use of a term ('erythroblastic islands') which a novice or non-specialist may assume is meant metaphorically, but which actually has a precise technical meaning in the scientific field,

"Key players throughout terminal erythroid differentiation are the erythroblastic islands, unique stromal environments within the bone marrow cavity."
Narla, Anupama & Ebert, Benjamin L. (2018) Red cell production, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 14-18.

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immune system is an efficient army to fight invading pathogens

An example of metaphorical language in technical writing:

"The cellular and humoral innate immune system is an efficient army to fight invading pathogens, to clear toxic debris while preserving normal self cells. The difference between a harmful intruder and a dying cell is often subtle and it is therefore imperative that a code of conduct is operating. Professional phagocytes (microglia) and to a lesser extent amateurs (astrocytes, neurones) are programmed to eat but receive inhibitory or 'repulsive' signals expressed by normal self cells as a matter of safe guard. Remarkably, these "don't eat me" signals (SAMPs [self-associated molecular patterns]), either expressed at the cell membrane (e.g., CD55) or secreted and found loosely attached to the cell surface (e.g., complement factor H), are recognised by inhibitory PRRs expressed by phagocytes."
Elward, Kristina & Gasque, Philippe (2003) "Eat me" and "don't eat me" signals govern the innate immune response and tissue repair in the CNS: emphasis on the critical role of the complement system. Molecular Immunology 40 (2003) 85-94

There are a range of terms here which are likely to appear as figures of speech ('army', 'invading', 'intruder' * and 'code of conduct') however some of these have become accepted as having a fixed technical meaning ('don't eat me signals', 'professional phagocytes').

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* Read 'Disease and immunity – a biological myth'

membrane protein CD47 is known to be a don't eat me signal

An example of the use of a technical term (don't eat me signal) that may appear to a novice or non-specialist as a figure of speech,

"What is clear is that red cells contain, in their early phases of circulating life, abundant supplies of the membrane protein CD47. CD47 is known to be a "don't eat me" signal by virtue of its interaction with a macrophage protein SHPS-1. CD47 levels decline on the surface of the red cell as it ages, making macrophages more likely to recognise and ingest red cells bearing any of these antigen-antibody complexes."
Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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red blood cells must not adhere to the vascular tree

An example of the use of a technical term ('vascular tree') that could be read by a novice or non-specialist as a metaphor:

"Erythrocytes must therefore possess not only the high tensile strength but also the pliability and flexibility needed to tolerate extraordinary changes in cell volume, shape, and biochemistry. Finally, red cells must be able to resist adherence to the walls of the vascular tree and to one another despite their exposure to adherence molecules when passing in intimate contact with small capillaries and venules."
Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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membrane outer leaflet and inner leaflet are asymmetrical

An example of the use a technical term (membrane leaflet) which might appear to the novice or non-specialist as a metaphor:

"The red cell membrane and its cytoskeleton. As discussed in the text, the red cell membrane consists of an asymmetrical lipid bilayer. Phosphatidyl choline (PC) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) predominate on the outer leaflet, while phosphatidyl serine (PS) is largely confined to the inner leaflet of the lipid bilayer."
Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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assembly of hemoglobin requires the presence of chaperone proteins

An example of a technical term which may seem to the nonspecialist as a metaphor:

"Assembly of hemoglobin from newly synthesized globin chains requires the presence of chaperone proteins. To date, there are no well-described forms of anemia due to the failure of these assembly mechanisms. However, some mutations in the globin chains themselves appear to alter globin structure sufficiently that posttranslational formation of tetramers is impaired, producing a thalassemia-like syndrome."

Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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there is little cross talk between haemoglobin genes

An example of the use a technical term (cross talk) which may be perceived as a simile by a novice or non-specialist:

"Although the process of hemoglobin biosynthesis is exquisitely and tightly regulated, there is little or no direct "cross talk" between the α-like and β-like gene clusters. The fact that equal amounts of α and β globin are produced is the result of intrinsic structural features of the genes and their mRNA products."

Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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globin genes are completely silent in most tissues

An example of a potential phantom metaphor:

"A great deal of research has been devoted to understanding how the globin genes first become poised to express themselves and then execute their programs of abundant yet tightly regulated fetal and adult globin gene expression. Globin genes are completely silent in all other tissues, and in other hematopoietic progenitors, except for the 5- to 7-day period between the early erythroblast and reticulocyte stages of terminal maturation."

The adjective 'silent' might seem to be being used metaphorically, but 'silent genes' is now an accepted technical term in specialist discourse.

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diagnosing a patient whose haematocrit is falling by five points a day necessitates a shotgun approach

An example of simile in technical writing:

"For example, in an acutely ill patient, it may be necessary to order many tests simultaneously in the hope that an answer will be found to speed diagnosis and therapy. A linear, ordered, sequential approach to test ordering may be a fine way to approach a stable outpatient with a mild anemia versus a patient in the intensive care unit whose hematocrit is falling by five points a day, whose caregivers require the timely acquisition of as much data as possible using more of a 'shotgun' approach."

Quesenberry, Matthew, Huang, Alina & Schiffman, Fred J. (2018) The Clinical Approach to the Patient with Anemia, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 19-22.

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Many examples of science similes are listed in 'Creative Comparisons: Making Science Familiar through Language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.

macrophages survey the splenic cords

An example of metaphor in science writing:

"In order to keep circulating, RBCs [red blood cells] in the splenic cords are required to squeeze through approximately 2-μm-wide slits in the walls that form the splenic sinuses. Those RBCs unable to make it through are ingested rapidly by local macrophages surveying the area."

Kaufman, Richard (2018) Red Blood Cell Life Span, Senescence, and Destruction, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 19-22.

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Many examples of science metaphors are listed in 'Creative comparisons: Making science familiar through language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.

red blood cells have limited arsenals

An example of a metaphor used in science writing:

"Even though the red cell is limited in its arsenal of metabolic capabilities, it manages, at the price of high levels of glucose consumption, to generate sufficient ATP and reducing power to preserve the normal lifespan of the red cell."

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surface abnormalities on red blood cells are polished away

An example of a simile used in explaining science:

"In order to traverse the tortuous and sluggish microcirculation of the RE [Reticuloendothelial] system in the spleen and liver, red cells must maintain their "slipperiness," pliability, and elasticity. Even normal red cells have "bits" of their membrane removed as they come in intimate contact with RE system macrophages. These lost membrane "bits" are likely surface abnormalities that are "polished" away by the RE system to facilitate the red cell's ability to circulate efficiently. As the red cell ages and loses more and more membrane to this polishing process, it begins to be unable to maintain its biconcave disk shape and becomes rounder (a spherocyte), because the smallest surface that can enclose the interior volume of hemoglobin and cytoplasm is a sphere. The sphere, however, is a rigid structure. It is thus less able to navigate the microcirculation of the RE system and has a higher probability of being catabolised."

Benz, Edward J. (2018) Anemias, red cells, and the essential elements of red cell homeostasis, in Edward J. Benz, Nancy Berliner, & Fred J. Schiffman, Anemia. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management, Cambridge University Press, 1-13.

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Without the wider context, the statement "As the red cell ages and loses more and more membrane to this polishing process, it begins to be unable to maintain its biconcave disk shape"would seem to be using 'polishing' as a metaphor, as it is not marked as a figure of speech. However, in the previous sentence "polished" has already been marked as a figure of speech by the use of inverted commas.

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