The alpha subunits of the laminin-binding integrins alpha 3 beta 1, alpha 6 beta 1, and alpha 7 beta 1 have homologous sequences and are similar in structure. Two cytoplasmic variants, A and B, have been identified for each of these alpha subunits, although the alpha 3B splice variant has been detected only at the mRNA level. We prepared a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for the A and B variants of the alpha 3 subunit to study their tissue distribution. Four monoclonal antibodies react with alpha 3A, one of which recognizes only the nonphosphorylated form; of the three anti-alpha 3B antibodies, one cross-reacts with alpha 6B. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis of various human tissues revealed the presence of alpha 3B mRNA in brain, heart, and skeletal muscle. Moreover, the alpha 3B protein was detected by immunoblotting in brain and heart tissue but not in skeletal muscle. In contrast, alpha 3A mRNA and protein were present in all tissues studied. Thus, the expression of alpha 3B in adult tissues is more restricted than that of alpha 3A. Immunohistochemical studies showed that in brain tissue, both variants are exclusively expressed on small blood-vessel endothelium, whereas in heart tissue their distribution patterns differ markedly. Although alpha 3A is strongly expressed on vascular smooth muscle cells, alpha 3B is detected only on endothelial cells of veins. Expression of the two variant forms of alpha 3 in K562 cells revealed that the ligand-binding specificities of alpha 3A beta 1 and alpha 3B beta 1 are identical: both bind human laminin-2 and-4, laminin-5, and laminins isolated from bovine kidney, but not bovine laminin-2 and-4, mouse laminin-1, or human fibronectin. In addition, adhesion mediated by both integrins is induced to the same extent by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The alpha 3A, but not the alpha 3B subunit, is phosphorylated; and phosphorylation of alpha 3A increases after phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation. Thus, we found no differences between the adhesion functions of the A and B variants of alpha 3.