Clonal variants of PC12 cells with respect to catecholamine biosynthesis were isolated, and the catecholamine content was measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The dopamine content of 13 subclones, which were selected and isolated in tyrosine-free medium, was substantially higher than the control level: 0.91 +/- 0.10 nmol/mg protein (mean +/- SEM; n = 3). In contrast, the noradrenaline content showed a marked heterogeneity: only two subclones contained noradrenaline levels similar to or higher than the control level: 0.40 +/- 0.05 (n = 5). The rest of them contained below the level of 0.20, and only negligible amounts of noradrenaline were found in four subclones. Thus, the noradrenaline-to-dopamine ratio varied widely between 0.003:1 and 0.53:1. This divergence of the noradrenaline content appears to be related to differing levels of dopamine beta-monooxygenase activity. The administration of ascorbate to the medium alone, however, did not restore the level of noradrenaline to the normal level in a subclone. Heterogeneity of the response to applied glucocorticoid was also demonstrated.