Passive immunization using antisera raised against rat PTH-like peptide [PLP-(1-34)] and rat PTH-(1-84) was used to assess and compare the roles played by PLP and PTH in modulating mineral metabolism in hypercalcemic rats bearing the Rice-500 Leydig cell tumor and in normocalcemic control animals. After immunization, plasma calcium in the tumor-bearing animals rapidly normalized and remained within the normal range for several days, plasma phosphate rose, and urinary phosphate and cAMP fell. These changes were associated with increased longevity of the tumor-bearing rats. Reduction of plasma calcium was shown to be a function of early (5 h) neutralization of PLP bioactivity in the kidney, whereas the effect of immunoneutralization of PLP in bone appeared later (24-48 h) and was more prolonged. Immunization against PTH in normocalcemic animals resulted in a hypocalcemic episode of smaller magnitude and shorter duration than that achieved in hypercalcemic animals immunized against PLP and appeared to be unassociated with neutralization of distal tubular effects. Neutralization of proximal tubular and skeletal actions of PTH appeared to occur in a manner analogous to that seen for PLP in tumor-bearing animals, but were of shorter duration. These studies suggest that in normal animals the action of PTH in the skeleton and/or on vitamin D metabolism contributes considerably more than renal transport activity to the maintenance of normocalcemia and that compensatory mechanisms rapidly restore homeostasis. PTH appears to be the major modulator of calcium homeostasis in normal rats, with PLP playing a minor role, if any. In tumor-bearing rats, mechanisms to restore calcium levels to baseline are delayed after PLP immunoneutralization, and PLP appears to be both necessary and sufficient for the hypercalcemic state.