The　aim　was　to　investigate　the　potential　of　chitosan　microspheres　(CMs)　with　different　acetylation　using　as　a　chemoembolic　agent.　Chitosan　microspheres　(CMs)　were　prepared　via　water-in-oil　(W/O)　emulsification　cross-linking　method,　and　acetylated　chitosan　microspheres　(ACMs)　were　obtained　by　acetylation　of　CMs.　Next,　we　characterized　the　morphology,　size,　composition　and　degrees　of　deacetylation　using　scanning　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　dynamic　laser　light　scattering　(DLS),　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectrometer　(FTIR).　All　microspheres　had　smooth　surfaces　and　good　mechanical　flexibility,　and　all　could　pass　through　a　5F　catheter.　The　swelling　rate　(SR)　of　CMs　decreased　significantly　with　the　increase　of　pH　(4.0-10.0)　but　ACMs　did　not　change　under　the　same　conditions.　Protein　absorption　assays　suggested　that　albumin　was　more　greatly　adsorbed　on　CMs　than　on　ACMs.　Furthermore,　CMs　caused　more　blood　clots　than　ACMs.　ACMs　caused　hemolysis　less　than　CMs　(＜5%　of　the　time).　Data　indicated　that　ACMs　had　more　hemocompatibility.　Cytotoxicity　tests　indicated　that　ACMs　initially　had　less　cell　attached　proliferation　but　increased　with　incubation.　In　contrast,　the　relative　growth　rate　of　mouse　embryo　fibroblasts　(MEFs)　on　CMs　decreased　gradually.　The　results　suggested　that　ACMs　could　stimulate　the　growth　of　MEFs,　and　CMs　were　not　cytotoxic　to　MEFs.　Thus,　ACMs　were　more　biocompatible　with　greater　potential　to　be　used　as　chemoembolic　material.　(C)　2014　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.