We have recently shown that human monocytes and U937 cells possess two molecular classes of Fc gamma receptor. One, a 72,000-mol-wt sialoglycoprotein, has high affinity for certain subclasses of human and murine monomeric IgG. The other is a 40,000-mol-wt protein (p40) with low affinity for monomeric IgG but with the capacity to bind IgG aggregates or IgG-coated particles. In the present study, a 40,000-mol-wt single chain protein, apparently identical to p40 from U937 cells, was isolated from surface-radioiodinated human platelets by affinity purification using a murine IgG2b monoclonal antibody to p40. This 40,000-mol-wt protein was not seen when control IgG2b or unrelated murine monoclonal antibodies were employed in place of anti-p40. The same 40,000-mol-wt protein was also recovered from an IgG-Sepharose affinity adsorbent, but not from ovalbumin-or myoglobin-Sepharose. The 72,000-mol-wt Fc gamma receptor of monocytes was not identified on platelets. Monoclonal anti-p40 and Fab fragments derived from this antibody blocked platelet aggregation by heat-aggregated human IgG, whereas a control murine IgG2b protein had little or no inhibitory effect at 500-1,000-fold higher concentrations. A murine IgG1 monoclonal antibody, reactive with an unrelated platelet-specific membrane antigen, did not inhibit platelet responses to aggregated IgG. Anti-p40 did not affect platelet aggregation by thrombin, collagen, or fibrinogen plus ADP. Although anti-p40 did not directly aggregate platelets in the concentrations employed, cross-linking with F(ab')2 goat anti-murine Ig induced apyrase-sensitive aggregation of anti-p40-treated platelets. This indicates that p40 possesses transmembrane linkage for platelet activation and secretion. These observations strongly suggest that this newly recognized 40,000-mol-wt platelet membrane protein serves as an Fc gamma receptor.