A severe dysfunction in the cellular response of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) to non-opsonized zymosan was observed under a deficiency of extracellular Mg2+. The phagocytosis-association native (luminol-independent) luminescence (NL), as well as luminol-dependent luminescence (LDL) (detected simultaneously and discriminated by spectral methods), was strongly inhibited. Apart from a general decrease of total light production, a Mg2+-concentration-dependent delay of the maximum of NL and LDL was observed. A disorder in recruitment of activated membrane-bound NADPH-oxidase of PMNL is suggested. The presence of extracellular Ca2+ did not compensate for the Mg2+ deficit. In the presence of Mg2+ only a slight Ca2+-dependent reduction of NL was obtained, but Ca2+ seemed to selectively promote LDL. This may indicate a positive influence of Ca2+ on the myeloperoxidase release from the cells. Experiments with the metalions-chelating agents EDTA and EGTA, which complex Mg2+ to differing extents, confirmed the important role of Mg2+ in PMNL-activation by non-opsonized zymosan.