We studied the mechanism by which endothelin-1 (ET-1) affects the mobility of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in cultured A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells. ET-1 at 10(-9) to 10(-7) M increased [Ca2+]i in Ca2+-containing buffer and Ca2+-free buffer. Pretreatment with ET-1 inhibited thapsigargin- and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP)-induced [Ca2+]i increases in Ca2+-free buffer. Pretreatment with thapsigargin and CCCP partially abolished the [Ca2+]i increase induced by ET-1. The ET-1-induced Ca2+ signal was partially suppressed by the ETA receptor antagonist BQ123 and the ETB receptor antagonist BQ788 and nifedipine. Pretreatment of cells with the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 reduced the ET-1-induced [Ca2+]i increase. These results suggest that the ET-1-induced [Ca2+]i increase in A7r5 smooth muscle cells initially activates the ETA receptor, leading to Ca2+ influx and increased internal Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial Ca2+ stores. The ETB receptor and L-type Ca2+ channel are involved in maintaining further extracellular Ca2+ influx. ET-1-induced intracellular Ca2+ release was also modulated by phospholipase C-coupled events.