The present study was designed to characterize the interaction of calcium and PTH in the control of renin release in isolated rat kidneys perfused in a closed circuit at constant flow. Kidneys were rendered nonfiltering using low perfusion pressures (70 mm Hg) and a hyperoncotic perfusate (100 g/liter BSA). Under these conditions, differences in perfusion pressure were less than 9 mm Hg between control and PTH-treated kidneys over the 50 min of perfusion. In the absence of PTH, renin release was inversely correlated with ionized calcium (Ca2+) concentration, with the highest release of renin noted with 1 mM EGTA and no added calcium. Also, verapamil treatment markedly elevated renin release, even in the presence of 2 mM Ca2+. In contrast, renin secretion was strongly depressed by 20 nM BAY-K8644 in the perfusate. In medium containing normal calcium concentrations (1 mM Ca2+), rat PTH(1-34) induced a 2-fold greater renin accumulation than in the control, non-PTH-treated kidneys. Isoproterenol induced a 5-fold stimulation under the same conditions. In the 0 Ca2+/1 mM EGTA perfusion, PTH did not elevate renin secretion. Renin release in response to PTH in 2 mM Ca2+ was similar to that observed in the 1 mM Ca2+ perfusion. PTH also reversed the effects of BAY-K8644 to suppress renin release. In verapamil-treated kidneys, PTH failed to stimulate renin release. These results indicate that PTH stimulates renin release by a process independent of the baroreceptors and macula densa. The Ca2+ modulation of PTH-induced renin release is consistent with the reported ability of PTH to block calcium channels and relax vascular smooth muscle.