Aldehyde-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold surfaces were modified with proteins and employed to capture intact living cells through specific ligand-cell surface receptor interactions. In our model system, the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) binding receptor was targeted on baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells. Negative control and target proteins were immobilized on a gold surface by coupling protein primary amines to surface aldehyde groups. Cell-binding was monitored by phase contrast microscopy or surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging. The specificity of the receptor-ligand interaction was confirmed by the lack of cell binding to the negative control proteins, cytochrome c and insulin, and by the disruption of cell binding by treatment with heparitinase to destroy heparan sulfate which plays an essential role in the binding of bFGF to FGF receptors. This approach can simultaneously probe a large number of receptor-ligand interactions in cell populations and has potential for targeting and isolating cells from mixtures according to the receptors expressed on their surface.