The ability ofStaphylococcus aureusto adhere to the extracellular matrix and plasma proteins deposited on biomaterials is a significant factor in the pathogenesis of orthopaedic-device related infections.S. aureuspossesses many adhesion proteins on its surface, but it is not known how they interact with each other to form stable interactions with the substrate.A novel method was developed for extracting adhesins from theS. aureuscell wall, which could then be further analysed. The protocol involves using a FastPrep instrument to mechanically disrupt the cell walls resulting in native cell walls. Ionically and covalently bound proteins were then solubilised using sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and lysostaphin, respectively. Western blot analysis of covalently bound proteins using anti-protein A and anti-clumping factor A sera showed thatS. aureusproduces most surface proteins in early growth, and less in post-exponential and stationary growth.Immuno-gold labelling of protein A, and clumping factor A was observed all over the bacteria and showed no distinct surface distribution pattern. However, this labelling showed expression of surface associated proteins varied in a growth-phase dependent and cell-density dependent manner.