To elucidate the role of cAMP and different cAMP-dependent protein kinases (PKA; A-kinase) in lung cell proliferation, we investigated rat alveolar type 2 cell proliferation in relation to activation or inhibition of PKA and PKA regulatory subunits (RIIα and RIα). Both the number of proliferating type 2 cells and the level of different regulatory subunits varied during 7 days of culture.