We examined which types of high threshold Ca(2+) channels are activated by depolarization in intact and dissociated sympathetic neurons from adult mouse superior cervical ganglia (SCG). Ba(2+) currents were recorded with microelectrodes and discontinuous voltage clamp from neurons in intact ganglia, and using the perforated patch clamp technique in dissociated cells. Peak current was larger in intact neurons, although the voltage dependence was similar. Successive application of omega-conotoxin GVIA, omega-conotoxin MVIIC and nifedipine revealed that the total current in intact cells was composed by 29% N-type, 13% P/Q-type, 32% L-type and 26% resistant to blockade (R-type). In dissociated cells, the N component was larger and the L component smaller, whereas P/Q-type and R-type were similar. Peak currents evoked with an action potential waveform instead of a square pulse were larger in both preparations but the proportions of each component were similar. We conclude that dissociating and culturing somata results in data that only partially reflect the situation in intact neurons. Assuming that the main effect of dissociation is the removal of mature dendritic membrane, the data suggest that L channels are more abundant on dendrites and N channels on the soma of intact sympathetic neurons, whereas P/Q and R channels may be uniformly distributed over the cell surface. Finally, in intact SCG neurons from rats, the proportions of current evoked by a pulse were: 49% N-type, 11% P/Q-type, 21% L-type and 20% R-type when nifedipine was applied last, suggesting that there are species differences in the expression of L and N channels.