Abstract: In a method of diagnosing a malignant disorder or its precursor stage, the percentage parts N.sub.i of blood cells in a size range of i=6 .mu.m to i=16 .mu.m in two blood samples of a patient, an arterial or capillary blood sample (A) and a venous blood sample (V) are determined based on the total number of blood cells in the arterial or capillary blood sample and the venous blood sample, the values obtained thereby a multiplied by a weighting factor .alpha..sub.1 and are then summed up and from the sums A and V, respectively the values x=A+V and y=A-V are calculated and the deviation of the values x and y from the values x and y of a healthy person are determined for diagnosing the disorder.

Abstract: In an apparatus for culturing cells which comprises a plate-like body with a lattice structure having openings separated from one another by sidewalls and a bottom disposed on one side of the lattice structure and having passages permeable for liquids but not for cells so as to form, with the lattice structure, cavities for receiving cells to be grown therein, the cavities have a clear width of between 50 .mu.m and 1000 .mu.m and the bottom consists of a material to which cells placed into the cavities will not easily attach so that the cells grow from the side walls of the cavities causing them to form a three-dimensional cell structure.