Rats were treated with Escherichia coli endotoxin (ET) either acutely or chronically or rendered septic by cecal ligation and puncture. At 6 h after ET injection, at various intervals of continuous ET infusion, and at 17-18 h after the onset of peritonitis, animals were killed and hepatocytes were isolated. Cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]c) was measured by quin 2 during the resting state and after stimulation with epinephrine and vasopressin. Basal and epinephrine-, vasopressin- and glucagon-stimulated glycogen phosphorylase activity were also determined. In hepatocytes from acutely ET-treated rats, resting levels of [Ca2+]c were decreased 46% from 245.8 +/- 11.0 to 131.0 +/- 8.5 nM (n = 4-6, P less than 0.05). In septic rats a 39.5% decrease was noted [i.e., from 154.0 +/- 17.7 (n = 4, sham) to 93.3 +/- 91 nM (n = 5, septic, P less than 0.05)]. These decreased [Ca2+]c levels were associated with changes of glycogen phosphorylase activity in a manner suggesting a cause and effect relationship; e.g., acute ET treatment resulted in greater than 80% depression of phosphorylase a activity, whereas sepsis induced a 58% decrease in the activity of this enzyme. In ET-infused rats the resting level of [Ca2+]c and its response to hormonal stimulation were not different from hepatocytes of saline-infused rats, although glycogen phosphorylase activity was less responsive to these hormones. The effect on the enzyme's response to Ca2+-mobilizing hormones was more marked than to glucagon. This is consistent with the concept that information flow in the Ca2+-messenger system is a site of metabolic lesions produced by endotoxicosis and sepsis.