The most potent known agonist for the natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B)/guanylyl cyclase-B is C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). A homologous ligand-receptor system consists of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and NPR-A/guanylyl cyclase-A. A third member of this family is NPR-C, a non-guanylyl cyclase receptor. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against NPR-B by immunizing mice with a purified receptor-IgG fusion protein consisting of the extracellular domain of NPR-B and the Fc portion of human IgG-gamma 1. One monoclonal antibody, 3G12, did not recognize NPR-A or NPR-C and bound to human and rat NPR-B. CNP binding to NPR-B and stimulation of cGMP synthesis were inhibited by 3G12. With cells isolated from either the media or adventitia layers of rat thoracic aorta, 3G12 did not interfere with ANP-stimulated cGMP synthesis, but it inhibited CNP-stimulated cGMP levels in cells from both layers. CNP (IC50 = 10 nM) and ANP (IC50 = 1 nM) caused relaxation of phenylephrine-contracted rat aortic rings. 3G12 caused a marked increase in the IC50 for CNP, from 10 nM to 140 nM, but failed to affect ANP-mediated relaxation. Therefore, our results for the first time demonstrate that CNP relaxes vascular smooth muscle by virtue of its binding to NPR-B.