We previously demonstrated that in white fat cell precursors alpha2-adrenoceptor stimulation lead to the phosphorylation of p44 and p42 mitogen-activated protein kinases and an increase in cell number. Regulation of cell adhesion and cell cytoskeleton plays a crucial role in the control of cell growth by various growth factors. Here, we report that in mouse 3T3F442A preadipocytes expressing 2500 fmol/mg protein of the human alpha2C10-adrenoceptor (alpha2AF2 cells), alpha2-adrenergic stimulation rapidly restored the spreading of cells previously retracted by serum withdrawal. This effect was pertussis toxin sensitive and was blocked by pretreatment of the cells with dihydrocytochalasin B (a blocker of actin polymerization), genistein (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), or agents that increase cell cAMP content. Spreading was accompanied by cell membrane ruffling, formation of lamelipodia and filipodia, appearance of focal adhesion plaques, and induction of actin stress fibers. alpha2-Adrenergic stimulation also lead to a rapid Gi- and actin-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the pp125 focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as well as of the p42 and p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases. alpha2-Adrenergic-dependent spreading and FAK and mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation were also observed in 3T3F442A preadipocytes permanently expressing 20 fmol/mg protein of the human alpha2C10-adrenoceptor (alpha2AF3 cells) as well as in BFC-1beta preadipocytes, which constitutively express 25 fmol/mg protein of mouse alpha2A-adrenoceptors. In BFC-1beta preadipocytes, alpha2-adrenergic-dependent spreading and pp125FAK phosphorylation were counteracted by beta-adrenergic stimulation. Our results suggest that alpha2-adrenergic control of actin polymerization and focal adhesion assembly could play a crucial role in the regulation of preadipocyte growth by the sympathetic nervous system.