Sustained smooth muscle contraction has been proposed to be regulated by either 1) sustained increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration [(Ca2+]i)-dependent myosin phosphorylation or 2) diacylglycerol-dependent protein kinase C activation. We measured diacylglycerol mass with the diacylglycerol kinase assay and myoplasmic [Ca2+] with aequorin in swine carotid medial smooth muscle. Sustained and significant increases in [Ca2+], myosin light chain phosphorylation, and isometric stress were observed with histamine or endothelin stimulation. Neither stimuli, however, induced significant increases in diacylglycerol mass. Relaxation of histamine-stimulated tissues was induced by removal of histamine or removal of extracellular CaCl2 in the continued presence of histamine. The rate of decline of both [Ca2+] and force was similar in both protocols, suggesting that removal of Ca2+ (without removing the stimulus) was equivalent to removal of the stimulus. These data suggest that [Ca2+]i is the primary regulator of sustained swine arterial smooth muscle contraction, whereas diacylglycerol has, at most, only a minor role.