APS House Style :: Font Types
Italics are used in the text to refer to specific header level 2 and 3 sections (e.g., "see Above and Beyond the Norm, Mutants are all around us.")
Italicized numbers are used in enumerated lists, e.g., "The following hypotheses were tested: 1) did Colonel Mustard kill Mr. Body in the library with a candlestick? and 2) did Prof. Plum use the secret passage?"
Many scientific variables (e.g., P values, U-tests, or x and y) are italicized. In addition, for modeling papers, there are specific abbreviations or variables that should be italicized. For more information, see the resources section.
Italicization is used to denote specific groups, days, times, or general information that is a scientific measurement only applicable to the article itself. For example, many articles use groups, but group 1 in a given article is not the same group 1 as in another study. This italization is usually used as in the following examples: group I, time 0, day 4, buffer A, or model 2. (Note that states of respiration are widely recognized scientific process and should not be italicized.)
Figure panels are always italicized (e.g., "Fig. 3A;" "Fig. 5, C and F;" or "Fig. 7, top").
A note regarding genes. Genes may be italicized according to the author; mRNA and protein transcripts are not. If you have any doubt as to whether the gene, mRNA, or protein form is meant, query the author and ask them to review the text and make corrections as needed.
APS does not use italics within the text for emphasis purposes (i.e., the use of bold because the author wants to present an important point).
Latin phrases such as in vivo, ad libitum, in vitro, and versus are not italicized.