Classically, opioids inhibit Ca2+ influx, but recent reports suggest opioids may also stimulate Ca2+ entry. Therefore, we have measured the effect of opioids on intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), fluorimetrically, in Fura-2-loaded SH-SY5Y cells. Fentanyl 0.3 mumol litre-1 caused a mean increase in [Ca2+]i of 18.8 (SEM 2.1) nmol litre-1 in some (30.3%) batches of SH-SY5Y cells. In responding cells, the fentanyl-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was dose-dependent, with an EC50 of 0.73 mumol litre-1. This response was naloxone-reversible, and the delta opioid agonist [D-Pen2,5]enkephalin had no effect on [Ca2+]i, suggesting the fentanyl-induced Ca2+ response was entirely mediated by the mu opioid receptor. Fentanyl 0.3 mumol litre-1 increased [Ca2+]i without preactivation of phospholipase C by another agonist, and this was markedly reduced by Ni2+ 2.5 mmol litre-1. These data suggest that mu opioids directly increase [Ca2+]i by stimulating Ca2+ influx in SH-SY5Y cells.