The purpose of this study was to determine whether functional purinergic P2 receptors are present in trabecular meshwork cells. The human trabecular cell line HTM-3 and cultured bovine trabecular cells were used to assess the effects of P2 agonists on intracellular Ca 2ϩ levels, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) activation, and P2Y receptor expression. ATP, UTP, ADP, and 2-methyl-thio-adenosine triphosphate (2-MeS-ATP) each produced a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular Ca 2ϩ in bovine trabecular cells and the HTM-3 cell line. The addition of UDP did not produce any detectable rise in intracellular Ca 2ϩ . Pretreatment with the P2Y 1 receptor antagonist 2Ј-deoxy-N 6 -methyladenosine-3Ј,5Ј-diphosphate (MRS-2179) blocked the ADP-and 2-MeS-ATP-induced rise in intracellular Ca 2ϩ . However, the ATP-or UTP-induced rise in intracellular Ca 2ϩ was not inhibited by MRS-2179 pretreatment. The addition of ADP, 2-MeS-ATP, ATP, or UTP were also found to activate the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. This activation of ERK1/2 was blocked by pretreatment with the mitogenactivated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(o-aminophenylmercapto)butadiene (U-0126) or the protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine chloride, but not by MRS-2179. Analysis of mRNA from HTM-3 cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed the expression of P2Y 1 , P2Y 4 , and P2Y 11 receptor subtypes. These data demonstrate that multiple P2Y receptors are present in trabecular cells. Our results are consistent with the idea that the mobilization of intracellular Ca 2ϩ results from the activation of P2Y 1 and P2Y 4 receptors, whereas the activation of the ERK1/2 pathway results from the activation of P2Y 4 receptors alone. However, a role for the P2Y 11 receptors in mobilization of Ca 2ϩ , or activation of the ERK1/2 pathway, cannot be discounted.