PURPOSE: To obtain a collagen gel bead containing embedded cells, by dispersing cells in a collagen solution containing a medium component, dispersing said cell dispersion in an organic solvent nontoxic to the cell and immiscible with water and gelatinizing the dispersion.

CONSTITUTION: Cells are suspended in an acid-soluble collagen solution aseptically mixed with a medium component such as MEM, RPMI 1640 or F12, conditioned at 0W15°C and pH7W8 and dispersed in ≥1pt.wt., preferably 1W10pts.wt. (based on 1pt. of the cell suspension) of an organic solvent (e.g. liquid paraffin or soybean oil). the obtained dispersion is gelatinized at 30W45°C, preferably 35W40°C to obtain cell-embedded collagen gel beads having a particle diameter of 0.1W5mm.