Attempts were made to clarify the mechanism of platelet aggregation and to characterize the platelet aggregating material employing established human cancer cell lines. Eleven out of the nineteen human cancer cell lines investigated showed platelet aggregating activity. The existence of divalent cation was required for the platelet aggregation induced by HMV-1 tumor cells. The platelet aggregations induced by tumor cells (HMV-1, PC-10, 3LL) were not suppressed by specific thrombin inhibitor (MD-805). The platelet aggregating activities of tumor cells (HMV-1, M 7609) were diminished by treatment with trypsin but not with collagenase or neuraminidase. Aggregating activity was preserved with a preparation of membrane from these tumor cells, although it was abolished by heating(100 degrees C 15 min) or sonication. By SDS PAGE (autoradiography), membrane proteins with MW of 20,000 daltons which specifically bound to platelets were commonly found in cells with platelet aggregating activity (HMV-1, M 7609), but were absent in platelet non-aggregating cells (HGC-25). It is therefore concluded that platelet aggregation induced by human tumor cells does not require the coexistence of thrombin, but is evoked by direct interaction of platelets with aggregating proteins (MW 20,000 daltons) on the cell membrane.