In vitroadherence ofPseudomonas fluorescensorganisms to the human cornea is correlated with bacterial pili. The role of pili in the attachment to human corneal epithelial cells was studied in anin vitroadherence assay system. A homogeneous, purified pilin preparation showed a molecular weight of 16,500 on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Within 5 minutes incubation, 5.5 pg of pilin adhere to 15,000 epithelial cells. When epithelial cells were preincubated with purified pilin, a subsequent decrease in adherence of labeled pilin was noted. It appears that pili mediate adherence ofPseudomonasorganism to human cornea.