The interaction of fibrinogen with the integrin ␣ IIb  3 plays a crucial role in platelet adhesion and platelet activation leading to the generation of intracellular signals that nucleate the reorganization of the cytoskeleton. Presently, we have only a limited understanding of the signaling cascades and effector proteins through which changes in the cytoskeletal architecture are mediated. The present study identifies phospholipase C␥2 (PLC␥2) as an important target of the Src-dependent signaling cascade regulated by ␣ IIb  3 . Real time phasecontrast microscopy is used to show that formation of filopodia and lamellapodia in murine platelets on a fibrinogen surface is dramatically inhibited in the absence of PLC␥2. Significantly, the formation of these structures is mediated by Ca 2؉ elevation and activation of protein kinase C, both directly regulated by PLC activity. With the involvement of Syk, SLP-76, and Btk, ␣ IIb  3 -induced PLC␥2 activation partly overlaps with the pathway used by the collagen receptor glycoprotein VI. Important differences, however, exist between the two signaling cascades in that activation of PLC␥2 by ␣ IIb  3 is unaltered in murine platelets, which lack the FcR ␥-chain or the adaptor LAT, but is abolished in the presence of cytochalasin D. Therefore, PLC␥2 plays not only a crucial role in activation of ␣ IIb  3 by collagen receptors but also in ␣ IIb  3 -mediated responses.The integrin ␣ IIb  3 mediates platelet aggregation in cell suspensions and supports adhesion to fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor (vWf) 1 -coated surfaces. On resting platelets, the integrin is in a low affinity conformation that does not support binding to either adhesion molecule at their normal plasma concentrations. An increase in affinity of ␣ IIb  3 , leading to fibrinogen and vWf binding, is mediated by inside-out signals from G protein-coupled and tyrosine kinase-linked agonists, and thereby promotes aggregation. In addition, binding to ␣ IIb  3 induces outside-in signals that lead to reorganization of the cytoskeleton and synergize with other agonists to mediate activation. The central role of the integrin ␣ IIb  3 in thrombosis and hemostasis is highlighted by the severe bleeding disorders in patients with Glanzmann thrombasthenia, which lack functional integrin.One of the earlier events to occur following ligation of ␣ IIb  3 is the activation of the tyrosine kinase Syk via one or more Src kinases (1, 2). This leads to tyrosine phosphorylation of the adaptor molecule SLP-76, which is constitutively associated with a second adaptor SLAP-130 (3, 4), also known as Fynbinding protein or adhesion-and degranulation-promoting adapter protein (5, 6). Together with proteins of the Vav GTPase exchange family, the adapter Nck, and the actin-binding protein VASP, this cascade has been shown to lead to activation of phosphoinositol 3-kinase and phosphorylation of FAK, and subsequent reorganization of the cytoskeleton in ␣ IIb  3 -transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells (7-9). Evidence that this casc...