1. In anaesthetized rats, an i.v. injection of endothelin-1 (0.25 nmol kg-1) evoked a rapidly appearing (maximal effect within 15 s) and short lasting (3 min) fall in blood pressure with tachyphylaxis occurring so that it was reduced by 50% by the last of 4 injections given 10 min apart. This property was also shared by endothelin-2, endothelin-3 and vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC). 2. Cross tachyphylaxis between the isopeptides occurred. However, under the same experimental conditions the hypotensive effects of acetylcholine, adenosine, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and substance P were reproducible and not modified in animals in which endothelin-1 no longer lowered blood pressure. Thus, the mechanism of the hypotensive action of endothelin peptides is different from that of acetylcholine, adenosine, ANP, and substance P. 3. In pithed rats, endothelin-1 (0.25 nmol kg-1) and its precursor human proendothelin (h-proendothelin) (0.5 nmol kg-1) induced pressor responses of a similar magnitude, which for h-proendothelin (up to 5.0 nmol kg-1) were not preceded by a hypotensive phase. The pressor effects of endothelin-1, like those of vasopressin, were reproducible upon repeated i.v. injections. 4. Rats given a 10 min infusion (0.1 nmol kg-1 min-1) of endothelin-1 showed no hypotensive response to an i.v. bolus injection of endothelin-1, whereas animals pretreated with an equipressor infusion of h-proendothelin did not develop tachyphylaxis to endothelin-1. 5. In pitched rats, endothelin-1, at a dose inducing the same maximal increase in blood pressure as h-proendothelin, was approximately 3 fold more potent as a mesenteric vasoconstrictor than h-proendothelin. These results suggest that if h-proendothelin is processed to endothelin-1, this transformation is not uniform throughout the vascular system. 6. The pressor response of h-proendothelin in pithed rats was dose-dependently inhibited by phosphoramidon (2.5-5.0mgkg '). However, this compound did not antagonize the effects of endothelin-1(0.25 nmol kg- ) or those of h-proendothelin (0.5 nmol kg- ) once developed. 7. Although some of these results may suggest that h-proendothelin does not undergo in vivo conversion to endothelin-1, the results obtained with phosphoramidon suggest that h-proendothelin is converted into endothelin-1. Therefore, the amount of endothelin-1 so produced can elicit pressor responses or regional vasoconstriction, but is insufficient to lower blood pressure and to inhibit endothelin-1-induced hypotension. 8. The mechanism of the tachyphylaxis does not appear to be depletion of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, since agents coupled to the latter endogenous vasorelaxant substance do not exhibit crosstachyphylaxis with endothelin-1. It is suggested that upon repeated or sustained exposure to endothelin-1, the endothelin-1 receptors mediating hypotension decrease in number and/or undergo conformational changes making them refractory to activation. Alternatively, the depletion of a blood-borne agent responsible for the hypotension could be involved.