Activation of a calcium-sensing receptor (Ca-SR) leads to increased intracellular calcium concentration and altered cellular activities. The expression of Ca-SR has been identified in both nonexcitable and excitable cells, including neurons and smooth muscle cells. Whether Ca-SR was expressed and functioning in cardiac myocytes remained unclear. In the present study, the transcripts of Ca-SR were identified in rat heart tissues using RT-PCR that was further confirmed by sequence analysis. Ca-SR proteins were detected in rat ventricular and atrial tissues as well as in isolated cardiac myocytes. Anti-(Ca-SR) Ig did not detect any specific bands after preadsorption with standard Ca-SR antigens. An immunohistochemistry study revealed the presence of Ca-SR in rat cardiac as well as other tissues. An increase in extracellular calcium or gadolinium induced a concentration-dependent sustained increase in [Ca2+]i in isolated ventricular myocytes from adult rats. Spermine (1-10 mm) also increased [Ca2+]i. Pre-treatment of cardiac myocytes with thapsigargin or U73122 abolished the extracellular calcium, gadolinium or spermine-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. The blockade of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger or voltage-dependent calcium channels did not alter the extracellular calcium-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. Finally, extracellular calcium, gadolinium and spermine all increased intracellular inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) levels. Our results demonstrated that Ca-SR was expressed in cardiac tissue and cardiomyocytes and its function was regulated by extracellular calcium and spermine.