A mathematical model for flowthrough (perfusion) chromatography, namely packed-microtubes (PMT) model, has been proposed for a column packed with biporous (BiP) anion exchanger in which the mesopores and flowthrough pores are created with liquid and solid porogens, respectively. The model is established based on the assumption that the BiP particle is made up of packed microtubes. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is used as a model protein and three kinds of anion exchangers (i.e., mesoporous, macroporous and BiP resins) are used as adsorbents to determine the model parameters and to evaluate the model. Adsorption equilibrium and finite bath experiments are performed to determine the adsorption isotherms and kinetics parameters. Both the bound amounts of the protein on the surface of the mesopores and macropores are experimentally determined and taken into account in the mathematical model. With all the model parameters determined by independent experiments or calculated from available correlations, model simulations are performed and compared with the experimentally determined breakthrough profiles of the BiP column. It is found that the model predictions agree reasonably well with the experimental data obtained under various conditions and the PMT model fit experimental data better than the modified double linear driving force (LLDF) model proposed by Leitao and Rodriogues (1999. Biochemical Engineering Journal 3, 131) in which the adsorbent particle is considered to be made up of packed microparticles. The results indicate that the PMT model is more reasonable for this kind of BiP adsorbent. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.