Expression of transcripts for β1-, β2-, and β3-adrenergic receptors (β1-AR, β2-AR, and β3-AR, respectively) was investigated in porcine tissues. Northern blot analysis of total RNA indicated hybridization of the rat β1-AR probe to transcripts of approximately 3.0-kb in heart and lung and 2.9-kb in perirenal, omental, and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Hybridization of the hamster β2-AR probe with total RNA revealed transcripts of approximately 1.8-kb in the heart, 2.0-kb in the lung, and 2.0-kb in perirenal, omental, and subcutaneous adipose tissue; a minor transcript of 1.8-kb was also observed in the perirenal tissue. Northern blot analysis of poly (A+) RNA from porcine adipose tissue with the mouse β3-AR probe revealed no detectable signals in heart and lung but detected a major 2.2-kb transcript and a minor 1.9-kb transcript in subcutaneous adipose tissue. The expression of porcine β1-AR and β2-AR transcripts was compared in perirenal, omental, and subcutaneous adipose depots. The expression of β1-AR transcripts was four to five times greater in the perirenal depot than in the omental depot and two to three times greater in the subcutaneous depot than in the omental depot. The expression of β2-AR mRNA seemed to be the same in all three depots.