In the epithelial cell line FRT, derived from rat thyroid, extracellular ATP, at a concentration as low as 1 x 10(-7) M, specifically increases cytosolic Ca++ two fold over the basal level of 255 +/- 45 nM. A maximum increase of 5 fold over basal is seen at 1 x 10(-5) M ATP. The effect occurs in the absence of any measurable phosphatidyl inositol metabolism and requires the presence of extracellular Ca++, but is independent of extracellular Na+; it is duplicated by ATP gamma S but not by adenosine, AMP, ADP, AMP-PNP, AMP-CPP, or AMP-PCP. In the presence of the P2-receptor antagonist suramin, the ATP induced Ca++ influx is completely inhibited, whereas Mg++, La , and verapamil are ineffective. It appears that the most likely (and unique) mechanism of ATP induced increase of cytosolic Ca++ in FRT cells in an increased influx through the activation of a P2 receptor operated Ca++ channel.