Isolated chick embryo tendon cells were used in [14C]proline and [14C]lysine labelling experiments to investigate the effect of divalent cations on collagen biosynthesis with a special reference to prolyl hydroxylation and lysyl modifications. The following metals were studied by adding them to the incubation medium of the cells: Ca2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+. Zn2+ caused a potent reductin in collagen prolyl hydroxylation with a concomitant increased cellular retention of collagenase-digestible material. These effects were detectable even at physiological concentrations. At the same concentrations of Zn2+, lysyl hydroxylation was considerably less inhibited than prolyl hydroxylation, and the extent of hydroxylysyl glycosylation was even increased. Co2+ was also an efficient inhibitor of collagen prolyl hydroxylation, but at concentrations ten times higher than those of Zn2+. In the presence of other metal ions, no or only up to 10% inhibition of prolyl hydroxylation was noted even at those concentrations at which [14C]proline incorporation into the protein was decreased. However, an increased cellular retention of collagen was detected in the presence of some metal ions. No reduction in lysyl hydroxylation was found in the presence of Ca2+ or Mg2+.