This study identifies signaling pathways activated by the  2 -/ 3 -adrenoceptor (AR) agonist zinterol, the selective  3 -AR agonist L755507, and the selective  3 -AR antagonist L748337 in CHO-K1 cells expressing human  3 -adrenoceptors. Zinterol and L755507 caused a robust concentration-dependent increase in cAMP accumulation (pEC 50 values of 8.5 and 12.3, respectively), whereas L748337 had low efficacy. Maximal cAMP accumulation with zinterol and L755507 was increased after pretreatment with pertussis toxin, indicating that the human  3 -AR couples to G i and to G s . In contrast to cAMP, zinterol, L755507 and L748337 increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) with very high potency (pEC 50 values of 10.9, 11.7, and 11.6). These compounds also stimulated phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) but with much lower potency than Erk1/2 (pEC 50 values of 5.9, 5.5, and 5.7, respectively). Pertussis toxin completely blocked Erk1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation in response to L748337, demonstrating a requirement for G i/o coupling, whereas L755507-stimulated p38 MAPK phosphorylation was not inhibited by pertussis toxin, and Erk1/2 phosphorylation was inhibited by only 30%. We found that high levels of cAMP interfered with agonist-activated p38 MAPK phosphorylation. L748337 increased extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) in the cytosensor microphysiometer with efficacy similar to zinterol and L755507, albeit with lower potency (pEC 50 value of 7.2 compared with zinterol, 8.1, and L755507, 8.6). The ECAR response to L748337 was largely via activation of p38 MAPK, demonstrated by 65% inhibition with 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(3-phenylpropyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]-3-butyn-1-ol (RWJ67657). We conclude that the  3 -AR agonist L755507 couples to both G s and G i to activate adenylate cyclase and MAPK signaling, whereas the  3 -AR antagonist L748337 couples predominantly to G i to activate MAPK signaling.-Adrenoceptors (ARs) mediate responses to circulating adrenaline and to noradrenaline released from sympathetic nerve terminals. The  1 -,  2 -, and  3 -AR subtypes have distinct patterns of expression in heart, lung, blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract, adipose tissue, and the central ner-