Adsorption of thrombospondin to a substratum inhibits adhesion of endothelial cells to that substratum. Four hours after plating of cells on glass covered with thrombospondin, the number of cells bound per unit area was only 8% of that bound to fibronectin, and 20% of that which could bind to albumin. While on fibronectin cells assumed a well-spread configuration with time in culture, on thrombospondin they stayed completely round. On surfaces constructed by sequential incubation of glass with thrombospondin and fibronectin or other proteins, thrombospondin retained its inhibitory effect on cell adhesion. Fibronectin surfaces treated with thrombospondin lost 50% of their capacity to adhere endothelial cells. Cell spreading was also greatly impaired. These observations indicate that thrombospondin, which is a component of the extracellular matrix, can modulate adhesion of endothelial cells to the matrix.