Laboratory Culture
Why Do Biology Labs Need Shakers? Shaking and Dissolved Oxygen
Updated 2026-06-13 · Hotech Technical Team
In short
A shaker provides continuous, uniform motion that gives cells or microorganisms in culture adequate oxygen and nutrient mixing while preventing settling and concentration gradients — essential for cell culture, microbial culture and biochemical reactions.
The core purpose of shaking
- Increase dissolved oxygen: shaking continually renews the liquid surface so oxygen dissolves more efficiently for aerobic metabolism.
- Uniform mixing: keeps temperature, nutrients, pH and metabolites evenly distributed.
- Prevent settling: keeps cells and particles suspended for a consistent growth environment.
Shaking speed and dissolved oxygen
- Within a range, higher speed and larger amplitude renew the gas-liquid interface faster, generally raising dissolved oxygen.
- But faster is not always better: excessive speed can cause shear damage to some cells, so parameters must suit the organism.
Applications and equipment
- Microbial culture, scale-up, suspension cell culture, biochemical reactions and extraction.
- For temperature-controlled culture, use an orbital shaking incubator; for aqueous needs, a shaking water bath.
Related Products
- Orbital Shaking Incubator 703/703R →
- Orbital Shaker 721-1T/721-2T →
- Reciprocating Shaking Water Bath 903/903XL →
FAQ
How to set shaker speed?
It depends on the organism, vessel and fill volume. Higher speed usually means more oxygen, but too high causes shear damage — find a balance.
Shaking incubator vs. ordinary incubator?
An ordinary incubator only provides constant temperature; a shaking incubator adds continuous agitation, suited to aerobic suspension culture.
Does amplitude affect culture?
Yes. Amplitude and speed together determine mixing and oxygenation and also the shear on cells, so choose per organism.