It is shown t h a t Ca-and 81-pectnte gel beads prepared by use of high moleculiir weight polygelacturonic acid (viz. polygalnctiironic acid having a high STAUDIXGER index) are well suited for cell immobilization. The pcctate beads are much more insensitive to those ions and chemical agents which destructively act on alginate beads (such as phosphate, citrate, gluconate, lactate as well as u high excess of sodium, potassium, and/or ammonium ions), even without addition of gelling cations to the liquid phase.