Evidence is reviewed that three and possibly four peptides formed from renin substrate have biological activity that merits their recognition as agonists. The decepeptide angiotensin I affects sites in the central nervous system and adrenal medulla. The octapeptide angiotensin II affects vascular and cardiac sites that mediate acute pressor responses, and also causes direct feedback inhibition of renin release. The heptapeptide (des-asp-1)-angiotensin II ("angiotensin III") stimulates aldosterone release.. It may exert its effects intracellularly at the adrenal glomerulosa and other sites. The fourth candidate is the (des-asp-1)-angiotensin I nonapeptide, but nothing is known of its activity or circulating levels. This formulation of the angiotensin reaction sequence and the effects of its individual congeners suggests several experiments. It also permits simple explanations for previously confusing data, such as the inability of immunization and anti-angiotensin II to prevent aldosterone responses, and the paradoxical preservation of adrenal responsiveness in Bartter's syndrome.