Background and methods. In order to investigate the role of phospholipases and their immediately derived messengers in agonist-induced contraction of portal vein smooth muscle, we used the addition in the organ bath of exogenous molecules such as: phospholipases C, A(2), and D, diacylglycerol, arachidonic acid, phosphatidic acid, choline. We also used substances modulating activity of downstream molecules like protein kinase C, phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase, or cyclooxygenase. Results. a) Exogenous phospholipases C or A(2), respectively, induced small agonist-like contractions, while exogenous phospholipase D did not. Moreover, phospholipase D inhibited spontaneous contractions. However, when added during noradrenaline-induced plateau, phospholipase D shortly potentiated it. b) The protein kinase C activator, phorbol dibutyrate potentiated both the exogenous phospholipase C-induced contraction and the noradrenaline-induced plateau, while the protein kinase C inhibitor 1-(-5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperazine relaxed the plateau. c) When added before noradrenaline, indomethacin inhibited both phasic and tonic contractions, but when added during the tonic contraction shortly potentiated it. Arachidonic acid strongly potentiated both spontaneous and noradrenaline-induced contractions, irrespective of the moment of its addition. d) In contrast, phosphatidic acid inhibited spontaneous contractile activity, nevertheless it was occasionally capable of inducing small contractions, and when repetitively added during the agonist-induced tonic contraction, produced short potentiations of the plateau. Pretreatment with propranolol inhibited noradrenaline-induced contractions and further addition of phosphatidic acid augmented this inhibition. Choline augmented the duration and amplitude of noradrenaline-induced tonic contraction and final contractile oscillations. Conclusions. These data suggest that messengers produced by phospholipase C and phospholipase A(2) contribute to achieve the onset and maintenance of contraction, while phospholipase D-yielded messengers appear to provide a delayed "on/off switch" that ultimately brings relaxation.