1 Adenine nucleotides have been shown to stimulate insulin secretion by acting on P2 receptors of the P2Y type. Since there have been some discrepancies in the insulin response of di erent analogues of ATP and ADP, we investigated whether two di erent types of P2 receptors exist on pancreatic B cells. The e ects of a,b-methylene ATP, which is more speci®c for the P2X subtype, were studied in vitro in pancreatic islets and isolated perfused pancreas from rats, in comparison with the potent P2Y receptor agonist ADPbS. 2 In isolated islets, incubated with a slightly stimulating glucose concentration (8.3 mM), a,b-me ATP (200 mM) and ADPbS (50 mM) similarly stimulated insulin secretion; by contrast, under a non stimulating glucose concentration (3 mM), a,b-me ATP was still e ective whereas ADPbS was not. In the same way, in islets perifused with 3 mM glucose, a,b-me ATP but not ADPbS induced a partial but signi®cant reduction in the peak 86 Rb e ux induced by the ATP-dependent potassium channel opener diazoxide. 3 In the isolated pancreas, perfused with a non stimulating glucose concentration (4.2 mM), ADPbS and a,b-me ATP (5 ± 50 mM), administered for 10 min, induced an immediate, transient and concentration-dependent increase in the insulin secretion; their relative potency was not signi®cantly di erent. In contrast, with a slightly stimulating glucose concentration (8.3 mM), ADPbS was previously shown to be 100 fold more potent than a,b-me ATP. Furthermore, at 4.2 mM glucose a second administration of a,b-me ATP was ine ective. In the same way, ADPbS was also able to desensitize its own insulin response. At 3 mM glucose, a,b-me ATP as well as ADPbS (50 mM) induced a transient stimulation of insulin secretion and down regulated the action of each other. 4 These results give evidence that pancreatic B cells, in addition to P2Y receptors, which potentiate glucose-induced insulin secretion, are provided with P2X receptors, which transiently stimulate insulin release at low non-stimulating glucose concentration and slightly a ect the potassium conductance of the membrane.