We measured [Ca2+]i of guinea pig and rat myocytes with Ca2+ waves, using fura-2 fluorescence image processing. In guinea pig myocytes, Ca2+ waves were absent during the control perfusion period, but could be induced by the addition of strophanthidin (100 microM) or sodium cyanide (NaCN: 2 mM) to the perfusate. The [Ca2+]i increased from the control values of 69 +/- 5 nM and 46 +/- 2 nM, to 263 +/- 9 (p < 0.05 vs. control) nM and 225 +/- 20 (p < 0.05) nM, respectively, when cells exhibited Ca2+ waves. Although 13% (16 of 121) of the rat myocytes displayed Ca2+ waves during the control perfusion, the [Ca2+]i with Ca2+ waves (56 +/- 9 nM) did not differ from [Ca2+]i in the absence of Ca2+ waves (54 +/- 3 nM). Ca2+ waves were induced by the perfusion with a high Ca2+ solution (24.5 microM) or NaCN (2 microM), and [Ca2+]i increased from the control values of 67 +/- 11 nM and 74 +/- 5 nM, to 231 +/- 41 (p < 0.05 vs. control) nM and 266 +/- 64 nM, respectively, when cells exhibited Ca2+ waves. The Ca2+ waves were abolished by the removal of extracellular Ca2+, or by the perfusion with ryanodine (10 microM) or caffeine (20 mM). In conclusion, it was shown that Ca2+ waves were due to oscillatory Ca2+ release and that the absolute value of [Ca2+]i is important for the appearance of Ca2+ waves in guinea pig and rat myocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)