We have performed a set of independent studies on the effects of the circulating pancreatic polypeptide, amylin, on rat osteoclast function, in vitro. Time-lapse video observations, measuring cell protrusions and retraction, showed that 250 nmol l-1 amylin or 250 nmol l-1 beta-calcitonin gene-related peptide (beta-CGRP) inhibited osteoclast motility (quiescence or Q effect). Both amylin and beta-CGRP produced inhibitory responses with a significant first-order regression over time (half-times, 19 and 28 min respectively). In contrast, 250 nmol l-1 amylin or 250 nmol l-1 beta-CGRP produced no change of osteoclast spread area, whilst 300 pmol l-1 calcitonin (CT) application resulted in cell retraction (R effect). Forskolin (10 mumol l-1) mimicked amylin and CGRP in inhibiting osteoclast motility (half-time, 8.6 min), and similarly lacked an effect on cell spread area. Neither amylin nor beta-CGRP (62.5-1250 nmol l-1) elevated cytosolic free calcium levels ([Ca2+]i) in single osteoclasts whilst 300 pmol l-1 salmon calcitonin (sCT) produced a rapid phasic elevation of [Ca2+]i, confirming previous results with asusuberic (1-7) eel calcitonin. The osteoclast-bone resorption assay revealed the following potency difference in direct comparison of the area of resorption per bone slice: beta-CGRP/amylin, 0.1; sCT/amylin, 800 and human CT/amylin, 12. The potency of deamidated amylin approached that of beta-CGRP. Assay precision ranged between 0.3 and 0.8. Amylin (250 nmol l-1) also significantly (P < 0.05) reduced supernatant (tartrate-resistant) acid phosphatase in the bone-osteoclast cultures. These measures independently indicate an effect of amylin on osteoclast motility through mechanisms distinct from those of calcitonin, possibly through different selectivities for receptor subtypes, the cyclic AMP-linked 'amylin subtype' and the [Ca2+]i-linked 'calcitonin subtype'.