The dependence of respiration rate of rat permeabilized acinar pancreacytes on oxidative substrates concentration was studied at various [Ca2+] - 10-8-10-6 M. Pancreacytes were permeabilized with 50 microg of digitonin per 1 million cells. Respiration rate was measured polarographically using the Clark electrode at oxidation of succinate or pyruvate either glutamate in the presence of malate. Parameters of Michaelis-Menten equation were calculated by the method of Cornish-Bowden or using Idi-Hofsti coordinates and parameters of Hill equation - using coordinates {v; v/[S]h}. In the studied range of [Ca2+] the kinetic dependence of respiration at pyruvate oxidation is described by the Michaelis-Menten equation, and at oxidation of succinate or glutamate - by Hill equation with h = 1.11-1.43 and 0.50-0.85, respectively. The apparent constant of respiration half-activation (K0.5) did not significantly change in the studied range of [Ca2+] while at 10-7 M Ca2+ it was 0.90 +/- 0.06 mM for succinate, 0.096 +/- 0.007 mM for pyruvate and 0.34 +/- 0.03 mM for glutamate. Maximum respiration rate Vax at pyruvate oxidation increased from 0.077 +/- 0.002 to 0.119 +/- 0.002 and 0.140 +/- 0.002 nmol O2/(s.million cells) due to the increase of [Ca2+] from 10-7 to 5x10-7 or 10-6 M, respectively. At oxidation of succinate or glutamate Ca2+ did not significantly affect Vmax Thus, the increase of [Ca2+] stimulates respiration of mitochondria in situ of acinar pancreacytes at oxidation of exogenous pyruvate (obviously due to pyruvate dehydrogenase activation), but not at succinate or glutamate oxidation.