A naturally occurring point mutation (Ser752Pro substitution) in the beta subunit cytoplasmic domain of the platelet fibrinogen receptor GPIIb-IIIa (integrin alpha IIb beta 3), causing Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, has been shown to abrogate bidirectional transmembrane signaling of GPIIb-IIIa when expressed in heterologous cells (Chen YP, 1994, Blood 84, 1857-1865). As the vitronectin receptor alpha v beta 3 constitutively mediates cell attachment to RGD containing extracellular matrix proteins, the purpose of this study was to explore the regulatory role of Ser752 in alpha v beta 3 vitronectin receptor function, by cotransfecting recombinant human alpha v cDNA together with human beta 3 mutant cDNA into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. CHO cells expressing wild type human alpha v beta 3 acquired the ability to attach and spread on fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor, in contrast to non transfected CHO cells that only bound to vitronectin and fibronectin. Overexpression of a truncated recombinant beta 3 subunit (beta 3 delta 744) generated alpha v (hamster) beta 3 (human) chimers that mediated attachment but lost the ability to promote cell spreading on vitronectin, von Willebrand factor and fibrinogen, and to concentrate in focal contact sites, demonstrating a negative effect of beta 3 delta 744 on alpha v beta 3 dependent postreceptor occupancy events. Transfection of beta 3Ser752Pro reproduced the same negative effect as beta 3 delta 744, whereas beta 3Ser752Ala restored normal receptor function by allowing pronounced attachment and spreading on fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor. Our results provide evidence that (1) the C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of beta 3 (amino acids 744-762) is essential for alpha v beta 3 integrin postreceptor occupancy events; (2) within this domain, the Ser752Pro mutation affects alpha v beta 3 postreceptor occupancy events by preventing cell spreading and focal contact localization; (3) the defective receptor function of the vitronectin receptor alpha v beta 3 is due to the presence of Pro752, rather than the absence of Ser752, as a Ser to Ala substitution at position 752 restores normal beta 3 integrin cell spreading and adhesive plaque formation.