Vanadate is a potent inhibitor of Na+,K+-ATPase derived from bovine aorta. The Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase of the same preparation was inhibited at 10 times higher concentrations. Compared with [3H]ouabain, 48V bound quickly to bovine aortic microsomes. Equilibrium binding experiments revealed one high-affinity, low-capacity and one low-affinity binding site for 48V, whereas [3H]ouabain possessed only one binding site of high affinity. A high NADH-vanadate reductase activity was measured in the same preparation, suggesting that, in this tissue, vanadate may be converted to vanadyl, a form to which the Na+,K+-ATPase is relatively insensitive. An increase in the contractile force of isolated rabbit aorta was measured with the following potency: phenylephrine greater than ouabain greater than vanadate. The order in intrinsic activity was as follows: phenylephrine congruent to ouabain greater than vanadate. The action of vanadate was rapid in onset and stable over several hours, while that of ouabain was slow and transitory. Vanadate increased tension in isolated rabbit veins to an extent similar to phenylephrine, but at concentrations two orders of magnitude higher. Vanadate action decreased with decreasing (Ca2+)0, but remained constant at a constant ratio of (Ca2+)0/(Na+)2(0). Vanadate-induced increases in tension were decreased by verapamil by about 43% and persisted in a solution in which Na+ was replaced by Li+. Vanadate increased electrically stimulated contractions. It is concluded that most of the effect of vanadate is due to an increase in calcium influx into the smooth muscle cell and that the effect of vanadate on Na+,Ca2+ exchange is of minor importance.