Fibroblast growth factor (FGF2), but not vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), upregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression, at least partially, via activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2/1 (ERK2/1) in ovine fetoplacental artery endothelial (oFPAE) cells. Herein we further investigated the temporal effects of FGF2 and VEGF on other signalling pathways including members (Jun N-terminal kinase JNK1/2 and p38MAPK) of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homologue 1 (PI3K/AKT1), and the tyrosine kinase c-SRC, and examined if either one or more of these pathways play a role in the differential regulation of eNOS by FGF2 and VEGF. We first confirmed that in oFPAE cells, FGF2, but not VEGF, increased eNOS protein. FGF2 stimulated eNOS protein in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, which also depended on cell density. FGF2 provoked sustained (5min to 12h) whereas VEGF only stimulated transient (5min) ERK2/1 phosphorylation. FGF2 was 1.7-fold more potent in stimulating ERK2/1 phosphorylation than VEGF. FGF2 and VEGF only transiently activated JNK1/2 and AKT1 within 5min; however, FGF2 was a stronger stimulus than VEGF. FGF2 and VEGF did not significantly activate p38MAPK at 5min; however, VEGF stimulated p38MAPK phosphorylation at 60min. VEGF but not FGF2 significantly stimulated c-SRC phosphorylation. Inhibitors of MEK-ERK2/1 (PD98059), JNK1/2 (SP600125) and PI3K (wortmannin), but not p38MAPK (SB203580) and SRC (PP2), decreased the FGF2-increased eNOS protein expression. Thus, the FGF2-induced eNOS protein expression requires activation of multiple signalling pathways including ERK2/1, JNK1/2 and PI3K/AKT1. Differences in intensity and temporal patterns of activation of these pathways by FGF2 and VEGF may account for their differential effects on eNOS expression in OFPAE cells.