Purinoceptor agonists produced potassium currents with the order of potency: ATP > adenosine = ADP = AMP > beta,gamma-methylene ATP, while a small response or no response was induced by 2-methylthio ATP, UTP, or alpha,beta-methylene ATP. The response induced by beta,gamma-methylene ATP was completely inhibited in the presence of alpha,beta-methylene ATP, suggesting that the relevant receptor for these agonists was a P3 purinoceptor. ATP induced currents with a latency of 24 s and the currents were not induced in defolliculated oocytes. The currents were not affected by either the Gi/o-protein inhibitor, pertussis toxin (PTX), or the selective cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor, H-89, or the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, neomycin, or the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, 4-bromophenacyl bromide. The currents were enhanced by the selective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, GF109203X, but otherwise, they were reduced by the potent PKC activator, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The results of the present study suggest that a P3 purinoceptor in the follicle cell layer of oocytes is involved in activation of potassium channels and that the evoked currents are regulated by PLC/PLA2-independent PKC activation.