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Justin Su

Doug Bradley

WRIT 159A

January 29, 2019

Assignment #4: Design Metaphors, Analogies, and Scaling Schemata

I. Part A – Metaphors and Analogies

a. Osmosis

Osmosis is a hyped networking event. Individual people (water molecules)

interact with one another. When more and more individuals join, however, they

start bumping into each other, and the opportunity to network dwindles. The

organizers (the universe) decides to open another empty room for some of these

individuals. As the empty room is barren at first, the potential for new

opportunities awaits, in which the crowds naturally gravitate toward the once-

barren room until an equilibrium is reached.

b. Glomerulus Filtration Rate (GFR)

Glomerulus Filtration Rate (GFR) is the rate at which a dam can filter and

pass water from one side to another. If the pressure of one side of the dam is

greater than the other, then the rate of the turbines would increase. If the pressure

of the turbines is too great, they can explode, lowering both the rate and output.

II. Part B – Scaling

1. Size of the Kidney

a. Podocytes (8.3±0.6 μm) are comparable to cranberries

b. Glomerulus (201 ± 28 µm) is comparable to a grape

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c. Nephron (30–55 mm) is comparable to a strawberry

d. Cortex (10 cm) is comparable to an apple

e. Kidney (11.2 cm) is comparable to a pineapple

These fruits have an added benefit of being low potassium, which patients with

CKD would consume.

2. Development Stages of the Mice Embryonic Kidney in Days

a. Pronephros occurs on Embryonic Day 7.5 (E7.5). It is

morphologically comparable to a baby lima bean. Temporally,

it is comparable to prometaphase.

b. Mesonephros occurs on Embryonic Day 9.5 (E9.5). It is

morphologically comparable to a navy bean. Temporally, it

is comparable to metaphase.

c. Metanephros occurs on Embryonic Day 11 (E11). It is

morphologically comparable to a cannellini bean. Temporally, it

is comparable to telophase.