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Rat hepatocytes in a collagen-gel sandwich configuration were exposed to silicon alkoxides in a gas phase, yielding a 0.05 to 0.15 microm porous silica layer on the gel surface. Cell viability was unaffected by the procedure. After 24 h, bilirubin conjugation, ammonia removal, urea synthesis, and diazepam metabolism were unaffected by the procedure. However, both the ammonia removal rate and diazepam metabolism were increased after 48 hr, whereas urea synthesis was unaffected. These data indicate that silica overlay allows efficient metabolic activity of collagen-gel entrapped hepatocytes. The fact that the KM of bilirubin conjugation was unaffected by the presence of the silica membrane suggests that the transport of albumin-bound substrates is not decreased. The enhancement in some metabolic activities found 48 h after the entrapment procedure may be the result of favorable changes in the hepatocyte microenvironment. These characteristics might be useful for the development of organotypical bioartificial liver devices.