Glucose-induced increase of cytoplasmic Ca2+ in pancreatic beta-cells is usually manifested as slow oscillations from the basal level. The significance of this rhythmicity for maintaining normal beta-cell function with periodic variations of circulating insulin made it of interest to investigate how the oscillatory Ca2+ signal was affected by various amino acids. Individual mouse beta-cells were very sensitive to alanine, glycine and arginine, sometimes responding with a transformation of the oscillations into sustained elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ at amino acid concentrations as low as 0.1 mM. Stimulation of the entry of Ca2+, obtained either by raising the extracellular concentration or by prolonging the open state of the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels with BAY K 8644, resulted in reappearance of the rhythmic activity in the presence of the amino acids. Oscillatory Ca2+ signals in intact islets were more resistant to transformation by amino acids than those of individual beta-cells. It is therefore suggested that signals from the adjacent cells make it possible for beta-cells situated in islets to overcome a suppression of the oscillatory activity otherwise seen in the presence of alanine, glycine or arginine.