Biodegradable microspheres having a diameter of 10-2000 μm having cross-linked hydrolysed starch onto which at least one type of ligand has been coupled via a carboxylic ester bond. The ligand shall be an endogenous, charged molecule with a molecular mass of less than 1000 Da having at least one additional carboxylic acid function in addition to the one utilised for coupling the ligand to the microsphere and/or at least one amine function. On average 0.05-1.5 ligands are coupled to each glucose moiety in the hydrolysed starch.