Cholesterol synthesis in actively growing bovine vascular endothelial cells is regulated by low density lipoprotein (LDL) at a step prior to mevalonate formation, in a manner comparable to that found in aortic smooth muscle cells. LDL uptake by these cells is associated with induction of cholesterol esterification, an increase in total cell cholesterol, and an inhibition of endogenous sterol synthesis. In contrast, cholesterol metabolism in confluent contact-inhibited endothelial cultures was not significantly affected by LDL even though the cells bind the lipoprotein at high affinity receptor sites. Lysosomal degradation and subsequent regulatory effects on cellular cholesterol metabolism, however, were observed in contact-inhibited endothelial cells incubated with cationized rather than native LDL. Cationized LDL enter the cells independently of the high affinity sites. Therefore, the primary regulation of cholesterol metabolism in these cells is neither through the appropriate intracellular enzymes nor through the high affinity surface receptors, but via an inhibition of LDL internalization. It is suggested that this inhibition is due to a strict contact-inhibited morphology which enables the endothelium of the larger arteries to function as a selective barrier to the high circulating levels of plasma LDL.