The migration-inducing abilities of both synthetic lipoxin A4 (LXA4) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) for rainbow trout neutrophils were examined with an in vitro assay. LXA4 caused enhanced migration of these cells with a three- to fourfold greater response than that observed toward LTB4 at most concentrations tested. Checkerboard assays showed that synthetic LXA4 was chemokinetic for trout leukocytes, while LTB4 was chemotactic. The chemokinetic ability of LX synthesized by rainbow trout macrophages maintained in short-term culture was also determined. These cells produced both 4-and 5-series LX, namely LXA4, LXA5, 11-trans-LXA4, 11-trans-LXA5, 7-cis-11-trans-LXA4 and 6(S)-LXA4. Although greater migration was found to LXA4 than to most of the other 4-series positional isomers, at least at some concentrations, this did not exhibit the degree of stereospecificity previously reported in some studies for mammalian leukocytes. Little difference was found between the chemokinetic responses of rainbow trout leukocytes to 4- and 5-series LX. These findings suggest that LXs are important migration-inducing molecules in trout and have a relatively long evolutionary history.