We studied prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release from isolated cells of the human gastric mucosa. Mucosal cells were enzymatically isolated from biopsy specimens of human fundic mucosa. The results from these crude cell preparations were compared to those obtained in fractions with enriched (65-80%) or depleted parietal cell content (3-7%) which were prepared from gastric mucosa obtained at surgery. PGE2 release in the enriched parietal cell fractions exceeded that from crude or parietal cell depleted preparations 3- and 13-fold, respectively. However, despite this quantitative difference, all preparations responded similarly to the test agents. Newly synthesized PGE2 was not stored intracellularly but was released into the incubation medium. Release increased linearly for 30 min. Addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 enhanced PGE2 release 4- to 5-fold. The effect of A23187 required the presence of extracellular Ca2+ (10(-3) mol/liter). Assuming that A23187 alters Ca2+ flux in gastric cells as it does in other cell systems our data indicate that increased Ca2+ influx enhances PGE2 release. Since calmodulin is of importance for intracellular Ca2+ action, the calmodulin antagonists trifluoperazine and W7 were tested. Both antagonists inhibited PGE2 release by 65-85%, trifluoperazine being slightly more effective. Activation of the adenylate cyclase system by forskolin or direct addition of (Bu)2cAMP, a stable cAMP-analog, also inhibited PGE2 release. We conclude that PGE2 is released from parietal and from nonparietal cells of the human gastric mucosa, although the major quantity is released from the light density fraction that is enriched in parietal cells. In parietal and nonparietal cells Ca2+ is of importance in the regulation of gastric mucosal PGE2 release and calmodulin seems to mediate this intracellular action of Ca2+. cAMP inhibits PGE2-release from gastric cells.