The effect of glutamate receptor agonists (NMDA, kainate, quisqualate and AMPA) on the [Ca2+]i and on [3H]GABA release was studied in cultured chick embryonic retinal cells. The release of [3H]GABA evoked by NMDA, in the absence of Ca2+, was prevented by the NMDA receptor antagonist (+)-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801), and that produced by kainate and quisqualate was prevented by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dioxine (CNQX). All the agonists tested increased the [Ca2+]i, and when the GABA transporter was blocked by 1-(2-(((diphenyl-methylene)amino)oxy)ethyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3- pyridine-carboxylic acid (NNC-711), NMDA, AMPA or quisqualate, but not kainate, did not induce [3H]GABA release unless Ca2+ (1 mM) was present, showing that exocytotic release of [3H]GABA occurs in retinal cells under these conditions.