  The absorption properties of the first low-mass protogalaxies (mini-halos)
forming at high redshifts in the 21-cm line of atomic hydrogen are considered.
The absorption properties of these protogalaxies are shown to depend strongly
on both their mass and evolutionary status. The optical depths in the line
reach $\sim$0.1-0.2 for small impact parameters of the line of sight. When a
protogalaxy being compressed, the influence of gas accretion can be seen
manifested in a non-monotonic frequency dependence of the optical depth. The
absorption characteristics in the 21-cm line are determined by the thermal and
dynamical evolution of the gas in protogalaxies. Since the theoretical line
width in the observer's reference frame is 1-6 kHz and the expected separation
between lines 8.4 kHz, the lines from low mass protogalaxies can be resolved
using ongoing and future low frequency interferometers.
