OBI

22Jun09. The definition includes whole organisms, and can include a human. The link between specimen role and study subject role has been removed. A specimen taken as part of a case study is not considered to be a population representative, while a specimen taken as representing a population, e.g. person taken from a cohort, blood specimen taken from an animal) would be considered a population representative and would also bear material sample role.

Note: definition is in specimen creation objective which is defined as an objective to obtain and store a material entity for potential use as an input during an investigation.

blood taken from animal: animal continues in study, whereas blood has role specimen. something taken from study subject, leaves the study and becomes the specimen.

parasite example - when parasite in people we study people, people are subjects and parasites are specimen - when parasite extracted, they become subject in the following study specimen can later be subject.

specimen role

liver section; a portion of a culture of cells; a nemotode or other animal once no longer a subject (generally killed); portion of blood from a patient.

material sample

specimen role

OBI:0000112

specimen role

GROUP: Role Branch

a role borne by a material entity that is gained during a specimen collection process and that can be realized by use of the specimen in an investigation