Rational design of bioactive tissue engineered scaffolds for directing bone regeneration in vivo requires a comprehensive understanding of cell interactions with the immobilized bioactive molecules. In the current study, substrates possessing gradient concentrations of immobilized peptides were used to measure the concentration-dependent proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells. Two bioactive peptides, one derived from extracellular matrix protein (ECM), GRGDS, and one from bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2), KIPKASSVPTELSAISTLYL, were found to synergistically enhance cell proliferation, up-regulate osteogenic mRNA markers bone sialoprotein (BSP) and Runt-related transcription factor 2, and produce mineralization at densities greater than 130 pmol cm(-2) (65 pmol cm(-2) for each peptide). In addition, COOH-terminated self-assembled monolayers alone led to up-regulated BSP mRNA levels at densities above 200 pmol cm(-2) and increased cell proliferation from day 3 to day 14. Taking further advantage of both the synergistic potentials and the concentration-dependent activities of ECM and growth-factor-derived peptides on proliferative activity and osteogenic differentiation, without the need for additional osteogenic supplements, will enable the successful incorporation of the bioactive species into biorelevant tissue engineering scaffolds.