Abstract-Compartmentation of cAMP is thought to generate the specificity of G s -coupled receptor action in cardiac myocytes, with phosphodiesterases (PDEs) playing a major role in this process by preventing cAMP diffusion. We tested this hypothesis in adult rat ventricular myocytes by characterizing PDEs involved in the regulation of cAMP signals and L-type Ca 2ϩ current (I Ca,L ) on stimulation with  1 -adrenergic receptors ( 1 -ARs),  2 -ARs, glucagon receptors (Glu-Rs) and prostaglandin E 1 receptors (PGE 1 -Rs). All receptors but PGE 1 -R increased total cAMP, and inhibition of PDEs with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine strongly potentiated these responses. When monitored in single cells by high-affinity cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels, stimulation of  1 -AR and Glu-R increased cAMP, whereas  2 -AR and PGE 1 -R had no detectable effect. Selective inhibition of PDE3 by cilostamide and PDE4 by Ro 20-1724 potentiated  1 -AR cAMP signals, whereas Glu-R cAMP was augmented only by PD4 inhibition. PGE 1 -R and  2 -AR generated substantial cAMP increases only when PDE3 and PDE4 were blocked. For all receptors except PGE 1 -R, the measurements of I Ca,L closely matched the ones obtained with CNG channels. Indeed, PDE3 and PDE4 controlled  1 -AR and  2 -AR regulation of I Ca,L , whereas only PDE4 controlled Glu-R regulation of I Ca,L thus demonstrating that receptor-PDE coupling has functional implications downstream of cAMP. PGE 1 had no effect on I Ca,L even after blockade of PDE3 or PDE4, suggesting that other mechanisms prevent cAMP produced by PGE 1 to diffuse to L-type Ca 2ϩ channels. These results identify specific functional coupling of individual PDE families to G s -coupled receptors as a major mechanism enabling cardiac cells to generate heterogeneous cAMP signals in response to different hormones. Key Words: cAMP Ⅲ heart Ⅲ G-protein-coupled receptor Ⅲ phosphodiesterase C ardiac myocytes express a number of G s -coupled receptors (G s PCRs) that raise intracellular cAMP levels and activate cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) but exert different downstream effects. For instance,  1 -adrenergic receptor ( 1 -AR) stimulation produces a major and sustained increase in force of contraction, accelerates relaxation, and stimulates glycogen phosphorylase. 1  2 -AR stimulation also increases contractile force but does not activate glycogen phosphorylase 2 and does not accelerate relaxation 1,3 (see also ref. 2); glucagon receptor (Glu-R) stimulation activates phosphorylase and exerts positive inotropic and lusitropic effects, but the contractile effects fade with time. 4 Finally, prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) has no effect on contractile activity or glycogen metabolism. 5,6 Such observations led to the proposal that activation of different G s PCRs results in the accumulation of cAMP and phosphorylation of hormone target proteins in distinct compartments. 7 The discovery of A-kinase anchoring proteins, responsible for the subcellular distribution of particulate PKA, 8 and the development of new method...