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An organ-specific alkaline phosphatase (AIP) inhibitor, L-homoarginine at 44.5 mM concentration inhibited 3H-thymidine uptake by mouse C3H/He osteosarcoma (OS) cells, while L-arginine, L-phenylalanine and L-glycine had little effect on the uptake. This inhibitory effect by L-homoarginine persisted even after the cells were washed free of the amino acid with fresh media. L-homoarginine did not affect 3H-thymidine uptake by mouse myeloma MOPC 104E cells. In the long-term culture, 22.3 mM L-homoarginine inhibited proliferation of OS cells. L-Arginine at the same concentration inhibited the proliferation to a lesser extent. On the other hand, L-phenylalanine and L-glycine did not affect in vitro proliferation of OS cells. When similar numbers of viable OS cells were inoculated s. c. after culturing with 44.5 mM L-homoarginine or L-arginine for 24 hr, the tumor growth in mice injected with L-homoarginine (but not L-arginine) treated cells was delayed markedly. Electron microscopic studies indicated that the inhibitory effect on OS cell proliferation was associated with a marked increase in lysosomal granules and a decrease in virus-like structures. Similarly, a biochemical assay of acid phosphatase (AcP) of the cell homogenates demonstrated two-fold increase of the activity in L-homoarginine treated cells when compared to the controls and L-arginine treated cells. Thus, L-homoarginine inhibits proliferation and AIP activity of mouse OS cells and appears to promote cell differentiation as evidenced by the increased synthesis of cytoplasmic granules and acid phosphatase activity.