A murine monoclonal antibody (MA 123) was selected by screening 153 supernatants of hybridoma cells secreting anti-human platelet antibodies for their ability to inhibit the fibrinogen-induced aggregation of chymotrypsin-treated platelets. MA 123 inhibited the binding of 125I-fibrinogen to ADP-stimulated intact human platelets and to platelets treated with chymotrypsin or pronase. Moreover, it inhibited the fibrinogen-induced aggregation of these platelet suspensions. The degree of inhibition was similar in each of the three types of platelets tested. The interactions of MA 123 with the 125I-labeled surface components of intact and chymotrypsin-treated platelets were studied by immunoprecipitation using Staphylococcus aureus coated with goat anti-mouse IgG, followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. MA 123 precipitated the glycoprotein IIb-glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIb-GPIIIa) complex from the surface of detergent solubilized intact human platelets; and it precipitated GPIIIa from the surface of chymotrypsin-treated platelets. Partially purified GPIIIa was also immunoprecipitated by MA 123. Our data suggest that the exposure of fibrinogen receptors by ADP, chymotrypsin or pronase, is associated with alterations of GPIIIa on the platelet surface.