Although spontaneous phasic activity of detrusor muscle plays an important role in urinary bladder function there is little information regarding myogenic Ca(2+) signals in this tissue. We have studied spontaneous, unstimulated Ca(2+) signals in fura-2 loaded detrusor cells isolated from newborn (10-13 days old) guinea-pig urinary bladder. In newborn guinea pigs 35% of studied muscle cells displayed spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations with several kinetic patterns (from irregular to highly paced cycles). The oscillations were inhibited by external Ca(2+) removal, treatment with L- and T-type Ca(2+) channel blockers and by the hyperpolarizing drug pinacidil. Ca(2+) stores were necessary to maintain oscillations, as indicated by the inhibitory effects of thapsigargin, ryanodine and 2-APB. Oscillations were also inhibited by folimycin, an inhibitor of acidic Ca(2+) stores. Treatment with the selective inhibitors iberiotoxin and NPPB indicated that the oscillatory signal is also modulated by Ca(2+) -activated K(+) channels (inhibitory) and Ca(2+) -activated Cl(-) channels (stimulatory). Our results indicate that detrusor cells from newborn guinea-pigs develop spontaneous Ca(2+) oscillations due to Ca(2+) influx through T- and L-type Ca(2+) channels modulated by intracellular stores, including acidic pools. This activity could underlie the myogenic activity of urinary bladder during early stages of development.