To examine whether the subpopulation of the rat type 1 angiotensin II (AII) receptor (AT1A) couples with a single or multiple signal transduction pathways, we constructed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines producing the recombinant receptor. The expressed AT1A receptor exhibits typical pharmacological characteristics of the AT1 receptor, known to mediate the main physiological function of AII. Addition of AII to the CHO cells induced a rapid, transient increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) followed by a lower, sustained phase. Nicardipine, a blocker of voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels, attenuated the transient [Ca2+]i response and abolished the sustained phase. The transient phase was also reduced dose-dependently by the phospholipase C inhibitor neomycin. Furthermore, AII inhibited forskolin-evoked cAMP accumulation. These data suggest, although another subpopulation named AT1B is present, that the rat AT1A receptor can independently couple with all three signal transduction pathways known to be induced by AII: i.e., i) activation of phospholipase C resulting in InsP3 generation with a subsequent release of intracellularly stored Ca2+, ii) activation of dihydropyridine-sensitive voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, and iii) inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity.