Ecto-nucleotidase activity was studied on primary cultures of guinea-pig vas deferens smooth muscle cells by measuring the inorganic phosphate (Pi) production using ATP as a substrate. The ecto-nucleotidase was insensitive to ouabain, oligomycin, sodium azide, p-nitrophenyl phosphate and B-glycerophosphate. Enzyme activity was highly dependent on either Ca2+ or Mg2+. Antagonists of P2X-purinoceptors, pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'- disulphonic acid, 4'4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2'2'- disulphonate, suramin and pyridoxal-5-phosphate, significantly inhibited ecto-nucleotidase activity. In contrast, the P1-purinoceptor antagonists, 8-p-sulphophenyl theophylline and 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine, did not affect the enzyme activity. Thus, when P2-purinoceptors are studied by testing agonists and antagonists potencies, the inhibition of ecto-nucleotidase activity by currently available P2-purinoceptor antagonists should be taken into account.