Arginine utilizing enzymes in macrophages showed different specificities for various arginine analogues and derivatives as substrates and inhibitors. Isolated arginase was strongly inhibited by L-canavanine(Can) and L-ornithine(Orn) but only slightly by L-homoarginine(Hom) and L-argininamide(ArgNH2). These effects were not or only weakly observed when released urea was measured in long term cell cultures. On the other hand, both L-canavanine and L-argininamide were substrates for arginase in long-term cultures. The known inhibitors of NO synthase were ineffective. The mechanisms of inhibition were different for L-canavanine and L-ornithine, but clear mechanisms could not be identified). NO synthase was studied only in long term cell cultures without purification. Certain N-guanidino (NG)-substituted arginine derivatives caused a marked inhibition while inhibitors of arginase had only slight or no effect. L-homoarginine was also found to be the substrate of NO synthase. The comparison of these effects of arginine analogues and derivatives made possible a computer-aided approximation for the fitting of active centers of these enzymes to their substrates.