HeLa cells were grown for 2-3 days in EAGLE'S minimum essential medium with 10% calf serum (S-MEM; Seromed, München) and then incubated for 24 hours in serum free medium (MEM). After detaching the cells with a solution of 0. 14 % EDTA and 0. 07 % trypsin (Difco,
1 : 250) they were suspended in various solutions (S-MEM = control, MEM, buffered salt solutions with or without Me++ions, 0. 9 % NaCl solution) and allowed to settle on glass tube slips (Leighton-tubes). After 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 1 45, 60 minutes 2, 3, 4, 5 hours cells were prepared for scanning electron microscopy as described by Paweletz and Schroeter. The preparations were examined in a Jeol SEM (JSM-U3) at 25 KV without tilting.The suspended spherical HeLa cells are able to adhere to the glass support in all solutions. The rate of attachment, however, is faster in solutions without serum than in the control. The latter is in agreement with the findings of other authors.