Administration of catecholamines to rats or their addition to liver and heart homogenates activates (by 30-50%) mitochondrial transhydrogenase in the direction of hydride-ion transfer NADPH----NAD+ via beta-adrenoreceptors and cAMP. Glucagon administration also increases by 48% the transhydrogenase activity of liver mitochondria. cAMP (1 microM) incubated with both liver homogenates and mitochondria exerts an independent activating effect on transhydrogenase. The effect of cAMP is specific and is expressed as an increase of V. The integrity of mitochondrial membranes is crucial for the manifestation of cAMP effect. Possible mechanisms of cAMP action on the transhydrogenase activity and the significance of this regulation for mitochondrial energetics are discussed.