1.1   This guide describes protocols that can be used to measure the strength of the adhesive bond that develops between a cell and a surface as well as the force required to detach cells that have adhered to a substrate. Controlling the interactions of mammalian cells with surfaces is fundamental to the development of safe and effective medical products. This guide does not cover methods for characterizing surfaces. The information generated by these methods can be used to obtain quantitative measures of the susceptibility of surfaces to cell attachment as well as measures of the adhesion of cells to a surface. This guide also highlights the importance of cell culture history and influences of cell type.