Prostaglandin synthesis by eight different structures from the rat kidney (while cortex, cortical tubules, glomeruli, outer medulla, papilla, glomerular cultured epithelial and mesangial cells, cultured interstitial medullary cells) was measured in vitro after incubation with [14C] arachidonic acid using high-performance liquid chromatography followed by RIA with four specific anti-prostaglandin antibodies (prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2 alpha, 6 keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, thromboxane B2). Prostaglandin production by the whole cortex and cortical tubules was very low. The order of abundance for isolated glomeruli was thromboxane B2 great than prostaglandin E2 greater than prostaglandin F2 alpha greater than 6 keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. Mesangial cells synthesized prostaglandin E2 at a markedly high rate, in decreasing order: prostaglandin F2 alpha, thromboxane B2 and 6 keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. The same order of abundance was observed for epithelial cells. The papilla synthesized essentially prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha, whereas the main product for the outer medullar was 6 keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha. Cultured interstitial cells synthesized mainly prostaglandin E2 and to a lesser extent prostaglandin F2 alpha. Unidentified peaks eluting between 6 keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and thromboxane B2 were also observed chiefly with glomeruli but they were absent with the medullary preparations. They disappeared after incubation with indomethacin or aspirin and represented for glomeruli the greatest percentage of conversion of [14C] arachidonic acid. These results show that the prostanoid profile varies markedly with the different regions and cells of the rat kidney.