Abstract: Incorporated in a MOS semicustom integrated circuit are pull-up and pull-down MOS transistors adapted for pulling up or down the potential of a signal line connecting a protection circuit with an internal circuit to be protected from electrostatic breakdown. The MOS transistors have their drains connected together to the signal line and their sources connected to a pull-up power supply node or pull-down power supply node as required. The MOS transistor acts as a pull-up or pull-down transistor when its source is connected to the pull-up or pull-down supply node by master slice wiring, and its drain junction acts as a protective diode when its source remains open. Thus, owing to the protection functions of the drain junction and diodes in the protection circuit, the electrostatic breakdown strength of the internal circuit can be increased without increase in the occupied area of the protection circuit in the integrated circuit.