Neutrophils express two types of receptor for the Fc region of IgG, FcRII and FcRIII. Per neutrophil, 10,000 to 20,000 molecules of FcRII (40 kDa) and 100,000 to 200,000 molecules of FcRIII (50 to 80 kDa) are expressed. Via these receptors, neutrophils bind IgG complexes that contain more than one IgG molecule. This binding activates functional processes, such as the respiratory burst and phagocytosis. We studied the contribution of FcRII and FcRIII in the activation of these processes, using well-defined complexes (both large and small) in combination with mAb against FcRII and FcRIII. Small (dimeric) IgG complexes appeared to bind via FcRIII. However, binding to FcRIII alone, when FcRII is blocked by an anti-FcRII mAb, did not induce a respiratory burst. Induction of the respiratory burst by a large immune complex, such as Staphylococcus aureus Wood opsonized with IgG antibodies, was mediated by binding to FcRII, because it was blocked by an anti-FcRII mAb but not by an anti-FcRIII mAb. This indicates that these IgG-opsonized bacteria can cross-link FcRII and activate the cells without the need to adhere to the FcRIII. The respiratory burst induced by IgG-latex was not inhibited by an anti-FcRII mAb, because the avidity for FcRII of IgG-latex, a particle of the same size as a Staphylococcus but with a two to three times higher IgG content, is increased by its simultaneous binding to FcRIII. This enhanced avidity results in removal of anti-FcRII mAb from the FcRII by IgG-latex. This increased avidity of large complexes for FcRII, created by concurrent binding to FcRIII, is not necessary for activation of human neutrophils, because neutrophils from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, with about 10% of the normal FcRIII expression, showed a normal metabolic response upon addition of IgG-latex. Phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized 14C-labeled S. aureus Wood was inhibited equally well by anti-FcRII mAb and by anti-FcRII in combination with anti-FcRIII mAb. Thus, FcRII is not only essential for the IgG-induced activation of the NADPH oxidase system, but also for the IgG-induced phagocytosis.