This paper examines the hypothesis that surfaces resistant to protein adsorption should also be resistant to the adhesion of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis) and the attachment and spreading of mammalian cells (bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) cells). The surfaces tested were those of self-assembled monolayers; (SAMs) terminated with derivatives of tri(sarcosine) (Sarc),N-acetylpiperazine, permethylated sorbitol, hexamethylphosphoramide, phosphoryl choline, and an intramolecular zwitterion (-CH2N+(CH3)(2)CH2CH2CH2SO3-) (ZW); all are known to resist the adsorption of proteins. There seems to be little or no correlation between the adsorption of protein (fibrinogen and lysozyme) and the adhesion of cells. Surfaces terminated with derivatives of Sarc and N-acetylpiperazine resisted the adhesion of S. aureus and S. epidermidis as well as did surfaces terminated with tri(ethylene glycol). A surface that presented Sarc groups was the only one that resisted the adhesion of BCE cells as well as did a surface terminated with tri(ethylene glycol). The attachment of BCE cells to surfaces could be patterned using SAMs terminated with derivatives of Sarc, N-acetylpiperazine, phosphoramide, and the ZW as the attachment-resistant component and methyl-terminated SAMs as the adhesive component.