We previously showed that differences in the adhesive behaviour of fibroblasts obtained from 8-day-old (8-day CEF) and 16-day-old chick embryos (16-day CEF) were not due to alterations of cell surface fibronectin receptors. Herein we show that fibronectin (FN) was expressed more rapidly on the 8-day CEF surface (30 min) than on the 16-day CEF surface (60 min). In order to elucidate the mechanism responsible for these differences in the expression of cell surface FN we investigated the biosynthesis and the post-translational modifications of FN in 8- and 16-day CEF. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that FN was processed more slowly to an endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endo H)-resistant form in 16-day CEF than in 8-day CEF, whereas the kinetic of FN biosynthesis was similar in both cell populations. This difference was not related to a differential retention of FN in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as determined after saponin-permeabilization. These results suggested that the rate-limiting step in the transport of FN to the cell surface in 16-day cells occurred between the ER and the medial part of the Golgi apparatus. It seems that the delay in the processing of endo H-resistant N-glycans was sufficient to account for differences between 8- and 16-day CEF in the rate of surface expression of FN and CEF adhesion to a plastic substratum.