We have identified a family of low molecular weight proteins with cell attachment properties in a variety of soft and mineralised connective tissues (Wong et al., Biochem. J. 232, 119, 1985). For further characterisation of these proteins we extracted porcine bones with 4 M guanidine hydrochloride and purified the proteins on a series of gel filtration columns The purifed SAPs comprise three bands with Mr -14 000 -17 000. All three proteins bound to heparin-sepahrose in both the presence and absence of 4M urea, and when eluted with 2 M NaCl they retained their cell binding capacity. These proteins promoted the adhesion and spreading of a variety of cell types, including normal fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and epithelial cells, and tumour (osteosarcoma) cells. On Western blotting SAPs did not cross-react with antibodies against fibronectin, laminin or type I collagen; however, they were recognised by a monoclonal antibody to human vitronectin, a polyclonal antibody to bovine vitronectin and polyclonal antibody to human somatomedin B. Dose response experiments indicated that maximum attachment of human gingival fibroblasts occurred in the presence or absence of fetal bovine serum on wells precoated with 2.5 μg/cm2 of SAPs. Attachment of cells to these proteins was partially inhibited by the synthetic pentapeptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser. Utilising the nitrocellulose cell binding assay of Hayman et al (J. Cell. Biol. 95, 20, 1982), the cell attachment to these proteins could be completely inhibited by heparin (100 units/mL) whereas up to 1000 units/mL of heparin had no inhibitory effect on cell attachment to fibronectin and vitronectin. The occurrence of these proteins in a variety of connective tissues and their recognition by different cell types may reflect their general biological role in adhesive mechanisms in both hard and soft connective tissues. Currently, we are investigating the relationship between SAPs and vitronectin, since it is possible that SAPs represent a tissue-processed form of vitronectin or may be novel attachment proteins with regions of homology with vitronectin