Intact slice preparations of rabbit stomach (antral mucosa, corporal mucosa, antral muscle and corporal muscle) were incubated and the released prostaglandins (PGs) were measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using 9-anthryldiazomethane for derivatization. With respect to total PG production, the highest amounts were generated by antral mucosal slices. Antral mucosal slices produced PGE2, 6-keto PGF1 alpha, thromboxane B2, PGF2 alpha and PGD2 (in descending order of magnitude) and possessed a high capacity for producing 13,14-dihydro-15-keto derivatives of both PGE2 and PGF2 alpha. Studies utilizing aspirin, EGTA or Ca2+ revealed that PG release by antral mucosal slices in the present in vitro system reflects a composite of the activities of phospholipase A3, PG cyclooxygenase and PG-metabolizing enzymes. These results show that antral mucosal slices will be useful in physiological and pharmacological studies on PG synthesis and metabolism of the stomach.