A variety of adenosine analogs activate phosphoinositide breakdown in a rat RBL-2H3 mast cell line. It is presumed that an A 3 -adenosine receptor is involved, since the phosphoinositide response is insensitive to xanthines. However, the very potent A 3 -receptor agonist 2-chloro-N 6 -iodobenzyl-N-methylcarboxamidoadenosine (2-CI-IBMECA) with an EC 50 of 4.1 µM is about twofold less potent (and less efficacious) than N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) with an EC 50 of 2.1 µM. The other agents consisting of N 6 -p-aminophenylethyladenosine (APNEA), N 6 -iodobenzylMECA (IB-MECA), N 6 -R-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA), 2-chloroadenosine, N 6 -benzyladenosine, N 6 -cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), N 6 -cyclohexylNECA (CHNECA), 2-(p-carboxyethylphenyl-ethylaminoNECA (CGS 21680), 1,3-dibutylxanthine 7-riboside-5′-N-methylcarboxamide (DBXRM), adenosine, and 8-bromoadenosine are all nearly equipotent with EC 50 values of 5.5-13.9 µM. The rank order of potencies of the analogs in causing an elevation of intracellular calcium is quite different. The potent A 3 receptor agonists 2-CI-IBMECA and IB-MECA with EC 50 values of 0.07 and 0.11 µM, respectively, are about fourfold more potent than N 6 -cyclohexylNECA and about 15-fold more potent than NECA. The other analogs are comparable or somewhat less potent than NECA, some are less efficacious, and 8-bromoadenosine is inactive. The results suggest that stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown by adenosine analogs in RBL-2H3 cells as measured by IP 1 accumulation is not predictive of IP 3 -mediated elevations of intracellular calcium. Rank order of potency for the calcium response is consonant with intermediacy of A 3 -adenosine receptors, while the former, as measured by [ 3 H]IP 1 -formation, probably reflects contributions from both an A 3 -mediated response and some other mechanism. Combinations of subthreshold concentrations of 2-CI-IBMECA with either the A 1 -selective agonist CHA or the A 2A -selective agonist CGS 21680 caused a marked stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown, providing further evidence for dual mechanisms. The selective A 3adenosine receptor antagonist 3,6-dichloro-2′-(isopropyloxy)-4′-methylflavone (MRS 1067) inhibits 2-CI-IBMECA-and NECA-elicited elevation of calcium levels, and had differential effects on phosphoinositide breakdown, blocking [ 3 H]IP 3 accumulation and either blocking (NECA) or having no effect (2-CI-IBMECA) on [ 3 H]IP 1 accumulation.