The differential effects of inhibitors of protein kinase (PK) or tyrosine kinase (TK) on phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis in monocyte-like U937 cells were compared in pulse-chase-studies in which the cells prelabelled with [3H]choline for 30 min were chased in the absence or presence of kinase inhibitors. 2. PKA inhibitor (H-89) decreased the label incorporation into PC, while PKA activator (8-BrcAMP) had no effect. 3. PKC inhibitors (chelerythrine and hypericin) inhibited PC biosynthesis; on the other hand, PKC activator (SC-10) was stimulatory. 4. The inhibition of PC biosynthesis by H-89 and chelerythrine was accompanied by the inactivation of CTP: cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase (CT). 5. In contrast, TK inhibitor (genistein) markedly stimulated CT and PC biosynthesis, while erbstatin and tyrphostin No. 25 showed no effect.