Spontaneous motility in whole ovarian follicles, as well as in strips from the stroma and capsule of ovaries isolated from premenopausal and menopausal women, was explored. The pharmacologic contractile reactivity of these ovarian structures to different smooth muscle-stimulating agents, ie, prostaglandins E1, E2, F2alpha; norepinephrine; 5-hydroxytriptamine; acetylcholine, phenylephrine; and phentolamine, was also studied. Strips from the capsule and stroma of isolated ovaries showed spontaneous motility in both menopausal and nonmenopausal preparations. The addition of phenylephrine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, 5-HT, or PGF2alpha induced a sustained tonic contractile tension, whereas PGE1 elicited the opposite influence. Stromal strips from nonmenopausal women showed more reaction to norepinephrine than those from menopausal ones. Ovarian follicles did not exhibit spontaneous motility but responded to added norepinephrine. This influence was blocked by phentolamine, indicating the eventual participation of alpha-adrenergic receptors. Acetylcholine, PGF2alpha and, to a smaller extent, PGE2, also increased follicular resting tension. On the contrary, PGE1 was clearly inhibitory both upon the spontaneous basal tone and the PGF2alpha-induced sustained contractions.