The rodent SSTR2 mRNA has been reported to be alternatively spliced to generate long (SSTR2A) and short (SSTR2B) receptor isoforms which differ in sequence at their C-terminal regulatory domains. By extending the 3' nucleotide sequence of the human gene (hSSTR2) we show highly conserved intron/exon boundaries suggesting that hSSTR2 is also capable of generating spliced variants. mRNA blots of rat tissues reveal 2 transcripts of 2.8 and 2.3 kb that are differentially expressed in brain regions and multiple peripheral organs. The 2.3 kb mRNA is preferentially expressed in pituitary tumor cells (AtT-20 mouse, GH3 rat, human prolactinoma, human somatotroph adenoma), but not in rat or human insulinoma cells. This transcript shows 4 fold induction by forskolin in AtT-20 cells suggesting cAMP dependent control of SSTR2 gene expression. The abundant expression of SSTR2 gene, the occurrence of 2 isoforms and evidence of extensive regulation at both gene and peptide levels, suggests that SSTR2 is the principal SST-14 selective subtype.