Large phosphatydilcholine unilamellar vesicles appear to be suitable controlled and protective delivery systems of beta-galactosidase. Kinetic measurements carried out on intact loaded liposomes show that most of the enzyme is entrapped inside the liposomes and its activity is latent. Nevertheless, intact liposomes also show significant activity, which can be controlled by addition of detergent. At sublytic detergent concentrations, liposome enzymatic activity reaches values two or three times greater than those of intact liposomes. This increase seems to be due to membrane structure modification that also enhances the substrate permeability across the bilayer.