Chlorella ellipsoidea cells were cultured in a phosphate, magnesium, sulfur or potassium-free medium. Some portions of cells were taken out at intervals during the culture, and physiological activities such as growth rate, reproduction, photosynthetic activity, and biosynthesis of cholorophyll of macro-element deficient cells were measured. 1) Generally, growth rate, reproduction, photosynthetic activities, and biosynthesis of chlorophyll of the macro-element deficient cells decreased more or less, compared with those of the normal cells. 2) The growth and reproduction of the algal cells in sulfur, or magnesium free medium were retarted severely with the chlorosis ; the photosynthetic activity and the content of chlorophyll showed the same tendency. 3) It is considered that the decrease in growth rate of macro-element deficient Chlorella cells is due to the decrease in photosynthetic activity owing to the decrease in chlorophyll content of the cells.