Integrin ␣ IIb  3 activation is critical for platelet physiology and is controlled by signal transduction through kinases and phosphatases. Compared with kinases, a role for phosphatases in platelet integrin ␣ IIb  3 signaling is less understood. We report that the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) associates constitutively with the integrin ␣ IIb  3 in resting platelets and in human embryonal kidney 293 cells expressing ␣ IIb  3 . The membrane proximal KVGFFKR sequence within the cytoplasmic domain of integrin ␣ IIb is sufficient to support a direct interaction with PP2Ac. Fibrinogen binding to ␣ IIb  3 during platelet adhesion decreased integrinassociated PP2A activity and increased the phosphorylation of a PP2A substrate, vasodilator associated phosphoprotein. Overexpression of PP2Ac ␣ in 293 cells decreased ␣ IIb  3 -mediated adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen. Conversely, small interference RNA mediated knockdown of endogenous PP2Ac ␣ expression in 293 cells, enhanced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 activation, and accelerated ␣ IIb  3 adhesion to fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor. Inhibition of ERK1/2, but not p38 activation, abolished the increased adhesiveness of PP2Ac ␣ -depleted 293 cells to fibrinogen. Furthermore, knockdown of PP2A c␣ expression in bone marrow-derived murine megakaryocytes increased soluble fibrinogen binding induced by protease-activated receptor 4-activating peptide. These studies demonstrate that PP2Ac ␣ can negatively regulate integrin ␣ IIb  3 signaling by suppressing the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.Integrin cytoplasmic tails are devoid of any intrinsic catalytic activity. Nevertheless, integrins can transmit bidirectional signals across the plasma membrane of a cell and regulate several cellular processes, such as, adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. In the context of the major platelet integrin ␣ IIb  3 , emerging evidence indicates that cytoplasmic tails act as a molecular scaffold for intracellular enzymes and for both cytoskeletal and adaptor proteins and can either positively or negatively regulate signaling (1). For example, during an agonist-mediated insideout signaling process, talin interacts with the integrin  3 tail and induces integrin ␣ IIb  3 activation (2), whereas calcium and integrin-binding protein 1 binds to the ␣ IIb tail and negatively regulates ␣ IIb  3 activation (3).Subsequent binding of fibrinogen to the activated ␣ IIb  3 integrin initiates an outside-in signaling process that regulates platelet function. Outside-in signaling can be mediated by intricate interplay of a set of proteins that associate constitutively with the integrin and by others that either associate or dissociate with the integrin in response to fibrinogen binding. For instance, c-Src associates constitutively to the  3 tail (4). Fibrinogen binding to ␣ IIb  3 induces association of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, spleen tyrosine kinase, and protein kinase C to the  3 tail (4 -6) and calcium and integrin-binding protein 1 to t...