Human K562 leukemia cells were cultured under free and microencapsulated condition, respectively. The cell cycles in the two kinds of cultures were investigated by flow cytometry. Moreover, mathematical model was established to simulate the cell viability and metabolized characteristic in different cultures. It was found that the cell percent in S phase was higher and the cell viability was better when cultured in microcapsule than that in free culture. The results showed that the model successfully described the substrate consumption and product formation in microencapsulated culture as well as in suspension culture. Based on the model, it was indicated that not only there was a higher proliferation and metabolic activity but also the time of the high activity could keep longer in microencapsulated culture. The parameters of the model showed that there was no significant difference between the two kinds of cultures when the influence of the glucose on the cell viability was concerned (kA(free) approximately = kA (APA)) but lactate had a obvious suppression effect on cell viability in free culture, and neglectable suppression in microencapsulated culture (kL(free) > kL(APA)).