partially cationized cellulose derivatives (ds 0.01-0.1) have been synthesized by modification of cotton, cuprophan and cellulose dialysis membranes with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyltrimethyl-ammoniumchloride and used for the following studies: adsorption and desorption studies of heparin on partially cationized cellulose in nahco//3-solution show that heparin can be drastically enriched with increase of the ds of cellulose, whereas imidazole buffer and a pyridine-water mixture (ds 0.06) desorbe heparin partially or completely. when partially cationized cellulose was used under suitable conditions for heparin enrichment and additionally four different cross-linking reagents and different reaction steps were applied and compared with non cationzed cellulose. when tested with blood partially cationized cellulose showed a high platelet adhesion whereas endothelial-cell-surface-heparansulfate (es-hs), isolated from bovine aorta and immobilized on partially cationized cellulose, was completely inert to platelet adhesion measured in a modified baumgartner chamber. the latter result seems to give a new promising concept for the synthesis of biomaterials, e.g. membranes with nonthrombogenic surfaces similar to surfaces of blood vessels in nature because the isolation procedure of es-hs and immobilization of es-hs on polymer surfaces does not change the inertness of es-hs to platelet adhesion. (author abstract) 42 refs