The uptake of tri-iodothyronine (T 3 ) in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes was investigated and compared with the uptake of reverse T 3 (rT 3 ) and thyroxine (T 4 ). Cellular compartmentalization of T 3 was studied by distinguishing T 3 activity associated with the plasma membrane from that in the cytosol or incorporated in the cell nucleus. T 3 and T 4 uptake displayed similar temperature dependencies which, in magnitude, differed from that of rT 3 uptake. T 3 uptake was Na + independent, and sensitive to oligomycin and monodansylcadaverine (42-49% and 25% inhibition of 15-min cellular uptake respectively). Furthermore, T 3 uptake could be inhibited by tryptophan (20%) and tyrosine (12%), while 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]heptanecarboxylic acid had no effect. Co-incubation with tryptophan and oligomycin resulted in an additive inhibition of T 3 uptake (77%). We therefore conclude that (i) T 3 uptake is energy dependent, (ii) receptor-mediated endocytosis may be involved and (iii) the aromatic amino acid transport system T may play a role, while system L is not involved in T 3 transport in cardiomyocytes. Co-incubation with unlabeled iodothyronines showed that 3,3 -di-iodothyronine and T 3 itself were the most effective inhibitors of T 3 uptake (30% and 36% inhibition of 15-min cellular uptake respectively). At 15-min incubation time, 38% of the total cell-associated T 3 was present in the cytosol and nucleus, and 62% remained associated to the plasma membrane. Unidirectional uptake rates did not saturate over a free T 3 concentration range up to 3·9 µM. We have concluded that T 3 uptake in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes occurs by an energy-and temperaturedependent mechanism that may include endocytosis and amino acid transport system T, and is not sensitive to the Na + gradient. Elucidation of the molecular basis for the T 3 transporter is the subject of current investigation.