The cell lines FDC-Pl and 32D cl-23 have previously been used as unique indicators for the growth-promoting activity of interleukin-3. We show that FDC-Pl cells respond to granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, CSF-2) as well as to interleukin-3. In keeping with this finding, FDC-Pl cells express the macrophage-specific marker, F4/80. FDC-Pl cells do not, however, respond to macrophage CSF (M-CSF, CSF-1). In contrast, 32D cl-23 cells do not respond to GM-CSF and lack F4/80. Instead, 32D cl-23 cells respond to an as yet undefined factor in conditioned medium (CM) from the primate T cell line, MLA-144, and CM from mitogen-stimulated human lymphocytes (HLCM). 32D cl-23 cells are Lyt-1+. Both FDC-Pl and 32D cl-23 cells consume interleukin-3, but only FDC Pl cells consume GM-CSF. Similarly, 32D cl-23, but not FDC-Pl, cells consume 32D cl-23 growth factor from MLA-144 CM and HLCM. Interleukin-3-dependent cell lines must therefore concurrently express different functional cell surface receptors for a variety of biochemically distinct growth factors.