shake flask
IRI: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/construct/ShakeFlask
Defined In: https://spec.industrialontologies.org/ontology/biopharma/BiopharmaEquipment/
SubClass Of: flask
Class Hierarchy
owl:Thing › bfo:entity › bfo:continuant › bfo:independent continuant › bfo:material entity › bfo:object › material artifact › container › flask › shake flask
Definition
flask designed for cultivating biological material or conducting chemical reactions that require aeration and mixing under agitated conditions with a shape that minimizes spillage during shaking
Explanatory Notes
1) Shake flasks are often based on Erlenmeyer flask geometry. 2) They may include baffles to improve mixing and oxygen transfer. 3) They are usually closed with breathable stoppers, foam plugs, or vented caps to allow gas exchange while limiting contamination. 4) They are commonly used for inoculum preparation, strain screening, and preliminary optimization of process parameters before scaling up to bioreactors. The geometry of the flask (e.g., baffled vs. non-baffled) and the shaking conditions influence oxygen transfer rates, mixing efficiency, and overall culture performance. 5) They are typically made of glass or plastic and range in volume from milliliters to liters.
Examples
- A 2 L baffled PETG Erlenmeyer flask used in small-scale mammalian cell culture, with vented cap and controlled shaking
Counter-Examples
- Test tubes placed on a shaker: although agitation is present, test tubes lack the flask geometry, venting options, and mixing dynamics of shake flasks. They can be used for cultivation, but they are not shake flasks as defined in laboratory and regulatory practice.
Adapted From
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11773345/ and https://www.eppendorf.com/no-en/industries-solutions/lab-solutions/other/shake-flasks-more-than-just-filling-volumes/
Primitive Class
This class is declared primitive and it does not have necessary and sufficient condiftions defined.
Primitive Rationale
There are insufficient constructs present to create a set of necessary and sufficient conditions.
Formal Axioms
First-Order Logic Axioms
ShakeFlask(x) → Flask(x)
Semi-Formal Natural Language Axioms
if x is a ‘shake flask’ then x is a ‘flask’
Description Logic
SubClassOf: constr:Flask