There is accumulating evidence that adrenomedullin (ADM) is involved in the control of salt and water homeostasis. ADM is considered to act primarily in a paracrine fashion, and since the kidneys are target organs for ADM, we investigated the localization and regulation of ADM and ADM receptor (ADM-R) mRNAs in the kidney. mRNAs for ADM and ADM-R were colocalized in renal vessels, glomeruli, and inner medullary collecting ducts. ADM mRNA was also detected in proximal tubules, whereas ADM-R mRNA was found in distal convoluted tubules. By ribonuclease protection assay, the abundance of ADM mRNA was fourfold higher in cortex than in outer medulla and papilla. In isolated glomeruli, ADM mRNA was threefold higher compared with cortex. Conversely, ADM-R mRNA was fourfold higher in papilla than in renal cortex. This distribution of mRNAs for ADM and ADM-R suggests a cortical source of ADM and a preferential action of ADM in the papilla. Ten days of feeding a low-salt (0.02%) or a high-salt diet (4%) did not change ADM mRNA or ADM-R mRNA in any kidney zone.