The method for purification of monocytes using adherence to gelatin coated glass surfaces described by Chien et al. was optimized by drastic shortening the incubation time and modifying the culture media. After one adherence step we obtained monocytes with a purity of 73-78% and a recovery of 53%. Thiol-protein-disulfide-oxidoreductase (TPO), a new enzyme marker of monocytes, was found to be also valid for monocytes obtained by adherence methods. Comparing the number of TPO-containing monocytes with other markers (alpha-naphthylacetate esterase, peroxidase, phagocytosis of latex particles, acridine orange fluorescence, antigens detected by the monoclonal BL-M/G antibody) almost identical values were found.