immobilized enzyme hollow fibers may be useful in the purification or treatment of whole blood under clinical conditions in this study, catalytically pure heparinase was immobilized to cellulose to analyze the feasibility for the removal of heparin's anticoagulant activity from whole blood. the kinetics of catalytically pure heparinase immobilized to regenerated cellulose hollow fibers were quantified with respect to mass transfer coefficient and enzyme loading. the kinetic analysis showed that increases in the mass transfer coefficient of heparin in the fiber lumen decreased the apparent michaelis constant while increases in enzyme activity immobilized to the fiber lumen increased the apparent michaelis constant. the apparent michaelis constant was an order of magnitude greater than the intrinsic k//m value for the system. the intrinsic k//m value for heparinase-celluose is 0.4 $plus or minus$ 0.3 mg/ml (n $equals$ 6) and it is the same order of magnitude as the k//m value for soluble heparinase. (author abstract) 23 refs