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Previous reports suggested the expression of four or live different Ins(1,4,5)P-3 receptor [Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R] isoforms in mouse cells [Ross, Danoff, Schell, Snyder and Ullrich (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 4265-4269; De Smedt, Missiaen, Parys, Bootman, Mertens, Van Den Bosch and Casteels (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 21691-21698]. To explore this diversity further, we have isolated and sequenced partial clones of two Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R mRNAs from the mouse embryonic C(3)H10T1/2 cell line. These clones showed between 94.2 and 94.9% sequence identity with the corresponding rat Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-II and Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-III isoforms. Based on these newly obtained sequences we have determined the relative expression of the different Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R mRNAs in cultured cells and in animal tissues of mouse origin by a ratio reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-I was very prominent in brain and cerebellum and Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-II in epithelia such as kidney as well as in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-III was highly expressed in all cultured cell types and in tissues with high cell turnover, e.g. testis. The prominent expression of Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-I and Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-III in A7r5 and C(3)H10T1/2 cells respectively was confirmed by immunoblot analysis and was compatible with a lower threshold for Ins(1,4,5)P-3-induced Ca2+ release in the former cell type. Screening of a large number of mouse cell lines and tissues revealed the presence of Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-I as well as of the Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-II and Ins(1,4,5)P(3)R-III isoforms which were identified in the present study, but in contrast with previous reports there was no evidence for more isoform diversity.