The effect of inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis on the pial arteriolar responses to arterial hypercapnia, hypocapnia, and hypoxia was studied in anesthetized cats equipped with a cranial window for the observation of the pial microcirculation of the parietal cortex. Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis was achieved by intravenous administration of indomethacin (3 mg/kg) or AHR-5850 (2-amino-3-benzoylbenzeneacetic acid, 50 mg/kg). It was shown that the administration of these agents inhibited substantially the vasodilation in response to topical application of arachidonic acid (100--200 micrograms/ml). Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis did not modify significantly the vasodilator responses to arterial hypercapnia or arterial hypoxia, nor the vasoconstrictor response to arterial hypocapnia. We conclude that endogenous prostaglandins are not mediators of these vascular responses in the pial microcirculation.