Proteolytic activity of live Uronema manum was analyzed by fluorescence polarization (FP) technique. Protease activity was measured by a decrease in FP value using fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC)-casein as a protein substrate. The results demonstrated an inverse linear relationship between fluorescence polarization (FP) values and live ciliate concentration over the range $1 imes10^4;to;2 imes10^5$ cells/well. However, the FP values of $10-10^3$ live parasites were not different significantly from that of control. Time-dependent decrease in FP value was shown in the wells containing live U. marinum. In the present study, FP assay had the benefit to provide measurements of substrate hydrolysis by live parasites in real-time, and did not require separations, precipitations, or transfers of reaction mixture.