AbstractThe radiolabeled lectins, concanavalin A* and wheat germ agglutinin, were used to study surface properties of two insect cell lines. We also looked at the effects of tunicamycin and 20‐hydroxyecdysone on the binding of these lectins to one of the cell lines. Both UMBGE‐2 and CH‐MRRL cells bound both lectins, specifically. The CH‐MRRL cells showed an overall higher binding for the lectins than the UMBGE‐2 cells. This difference may account for some of the striking morphological difference seen between these cells. Tunicamycin and 20‐hydroxyecdysone decreased the binding of both [125I]‐Con A and [125I]‐WGA to CH‐MRRL cells. These results suggest that cell surface glycoproteins play a role in the modification of cellular morphology and in other hormone‐mediated phys