The results show that the distinct types of shape produced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and by chemotactic peptides (fNLPNTL) are associated with distinct types of neutrophil movement. Whereas the chemotactic peptide can induce front-tail polarity characterized by an expanding front, a contracted tail and preferential unidirectional movements of intracellular organelles, PMA can only elicit non-polar movements characterized by random formation and retraction of projections all over the surface, intracellular movements of organelles being ill-defined and changing in direction. Combined stimulation of human neutrophils with PMA and fNLPNTL results in a suppression of peptide-induced polarity and the formation of non-polar motile cells resembling those stimulated with PMA alone. The results suggest that the diacylglycerol-protein kinase C pathway may be instrumental in transducing or modulating signals to the locomotor apparatus of the cell. PMA-treated cells are, however, still capable of developing directional responses when appropriately stimulated. The findings lead to the hypothesis that distinct types of neutrophil movements are preferentially associated with distinct functions.