We have previously shown that bone organ cultures produce large amounts of latent transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), which lacks latent TGF beta-binding protein (LTBP). In this study we used the known osteoblast-like cell lines UMR-106, ROS 17/2.8, and MG63 as models to further examine latent TGF beta expression in bone. We found that the osteosarcoma cell line UMR-106 secreted latent TGF beta almost exclusively as a 100-kDa complex lacking LTBP. ROS 17/2.8 cells produced both the 100-kDa complex and also a 290-kDa complex containing the fibroblastic (190 kDa) form of LTBP. MG63 cells (like human foreskin fibroblasts) expressed almost exclusively the 290-kDa complex. To investigate the regulation of latent TGF beta complexes in bone cells we assessed the effects of TGF beta 1 treatment on expression of active and latent TGF beta. TGF beta 1 induced secretion of latent but not active TGF beta in all cell types examined. In human foreskin fibroblast cells, TGF beta 1 and LTBP mRNA were expressed concomitantly. In contrast, in osteosarcoma cell lines autoinduction of TGF beta 1 mRNA was associated with either a delayed increase or no change in LTBP mRNA. In UMR-106 cells LTBP message was virtually undetectable. We postulate that the expression of different latent TGF beta forms by osteoblast-like cells may reflect their maturation states and that different latent TGF beta complexes may have different functions, for example as secretory forms or as matrix storage forms.