We attempted to characterize the general features of arachidonate metabolism in cultured mouse keratinocytes. The cells labeled with [3H]arachidonate were stimulated by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), ionophore A23187, and fetal bovine serum (FBS). Common to the three substances, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine almost equally served as sources of arachidonate liberated by the action of phospholipase A2. The stimulation of phospholipase A2 action was observed in the order of A23187 greater than FBS greater than TPA. When stimulated by TPA or A23187, the radioactivity released into the extracellular medium was mostly found in prostaglandin (PG) E2. Formation of other PGs and hydroxyeicosatetraenoate (HETE) was extremely limited. In the case of stimulation by FBS, however, the released radioactivity was mainly associated with non-converted arachidonate. FBS also inhibited the TPA- and A23187-induced conversion of arachidonate to PGE2. Phospholipid degradation induced by the three stimulators was similarly dependent on extracellular Ca2+. The stimulation by FBS and A23187 was suppressed by calmodulin antagonists, though the effect of A23187 was much more sensitive to the antagonists when compared to that of FBS. We observed more than additive effects of the three stimulators when tested together.