Calcitonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide stimulate adenylate cyclase activity and plasminogen activator production in cultured renal tubular LLC-PK1 cells. Salmon [125I]calcitonin and human [125I]calcitonin gene-related peptide bound specifically to the cells. Salmon [125I]calcitonin binding was reduced at lower concentrations of non-radioactive salmon calcitonin than of human calcitonin gene-related peptide. For the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity and plasminogen activator production, the potency of salmon calcitonin was higher than that of human calcitonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide. In a subclone of LLC-PK cells lacking salmon calcitonin binding sites, no specific binding of [125I]CGRP occurred, and adenylate cyclase activity and plasminogen activator production was not increased by the peptides. Thus, in LLC-PK1 cells the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity and plasminogen activator production by calcitonin gene-related peptide is probably mediated by the calcitonin receptor.