1. The contribution of sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPases (SERCA)-regulated Ca2+ stores to the increase in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) induced by bradykinin (BK) was investigated in fura-2 loaded human tracheal smooth muscle cells (TSMC). For this purpose, we used thapsigargin, a selective inhibitor of Ca(2+)-ATPases of intracellular organelles. 2. Thapsigargin (10(-9) to 10(-6) M) induced a dose-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i in the presence of external Ca2+ with an EC50 value of 7.33 +/- 1.26 nM. In Ca(2+)-free conditions, the addition of Ca2+ (1.25 mM) caused an increase in [Ca2+]i which was directly proportional to the pre-incubation time of the cells with thapsigargin. Net increases of 60 +/- 9, 150 +/- 22 and 210 +/- 27 nM were obtained after 1, 3 and 5 min, respectively. 3. In the presence of extracellular Ca2+, BK induced a typical biphasic increase in [Ca2+]i with a fast transient phase and a sustained phase. The sustained component was reversed by addition of a bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist (Hoe 140, 10(-6) M) to the buffer as well as by deprivation of Ca2+. The transient phase induced by BK, histamine and carbachol was inhibited in a time-dependent way by preincubation of the cells with thapsigargin. 4. Comparative western blotting of human TSMC membranes using anti-SERCA2 isoform-specific antibodies clearly showed the greater expression of the 100-kDa SERCA2-b isoform compared with the SERCA2-a isoform. 5. Our data show that thapsigargin-sensitive Ca2+ stores contribute significantly to the activation of human TSMC which suggests a role for these stores in the subsequent induction of Ca2+ influx. These stores appear to be controlled by the Ca2+-ATPases (SERCA2-b isoform) which could also participate in the regulation of Ca2+ influx through the plasma membrane.