Exposure of freshly isolated hepatocytes to phalloidin produced blebs on their surfaces: this phenomenon was time- and dose-dependent and irreversible. When hepatocytes were pretreated with somatostatin or with some of its synthetic analogues, formation of blebs was dramatically reduced. This cytoprotective effect was dose-dependent: the dose-response profiles enabled the determination of the CD50 values, i.e., the concentrations of analogues that yielded 50% cytoprotection. The analogues with sequences of amino acids in the retro form, compared to those in somatostatin-14, exhibited higher cytoprotection; the retro hexapeptide, cyclo(-Phe-Thr-Lys-D-Trp-Phe-D-Pro-), was 27 times more active than somatostatin-14. Specificity of cytoprotection was examined by pretreating hepatocytes with biologically active peptide hormones prior to exposure to phalloidin. On a molar basis, prolactin and thyroid-stimulating hormone possessed activity comparable to that of somatostatin-14, whereas glucagon was twice as active. Insulin, vitamin A and propranolol exercised less than 10% protection. The synthetic analogues of somatostatin are potent protective agents against cell lesions induced by phalloidin. Formation of blebs on hepatocytes by toxins and their prevention by agents of interest may serve as a suitable morphological assay for screening of cytotoxicity and cytoprotection.