Multiple structural and functional cell properties are responsible for the complex phenotype of the metastatic cell. Cells derived from AKR lymphoma malignancy variants were compared with regard to several cellular functions relevant to the metastatic behavior. Metastatic behavior correlated with relevant in vitro cell activities, such as cell motility, homotypic and heterotypic adhesion as well as proteolytic activity. The Variant displaying the highest degree of malignancy, TAU-42, exhibited the most elevated ability to perform almost each of the cell functions examined: motility, aggregability, capacity to adhere to endothelium and extracellular matrix, heparanase and protease activity and ability to grow in the spleen. The TAU-33 variant was second in rank in the performance of the above activities. The TAU-44 variant cells, the third in rank of malignancy, displayed some peculiar functional behavior: while manifesting the lowest homotypic adherence and heparanase activity, they had a high predilection for growth in kidney.