The effect of three calcium-entry blockers and two divalent cations known to inhibit Ca++ entry on noradrenaline (NA)--and potassium (K+)--induced contractions were studied. The organic calcium entry-blockers--diltiazem (2.5 X 10(-7)-2.5 X 10(-6) M), nifedipine (2.8 X 10(-7)-2.8 X 10(-6) M) and flunarizine (2.5 X 10(-7)-2.5 X 10(-6) M) did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) reduce NA (3.75 X 10(-7)-1.2 X 10(-5) M) contractions. However, these concentrations of the calcium entry-blockers significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions of the anococcygeus muscle. Both NA- and K+-induced contractions of the anococcygeus muscle were concentration--dependently reduced by the divalent cations manganese (10(-4)-10(-3) M) and cobalt (10(-4)-10(-3) M). It is suggested that while NA-induced contractions are dependent on extracellular calcium, it is quite possible that the agonist NA and K+ activate different Ca++ channels or that the mechanism of activation of the Ca++ channels is different.