SUMMARY1. In anaesthetized and artificially ventilated dogs, a gracilis muscle was vascularly isolated and perfused at a constant flow rate of 11P9+2-2 ml min-' 100 g-(mean + S.E.M., n = 16; equivalent to 170 2 + 21'3 % of its resting free flow).2. Stimulation (3 Hz) of the obturator nerve produced twitch contractions of the gracilis muscle, reduced venous pH from 7'366 + 0027 to 7-250 + 0-031 (n = 5), increased oxygen consumption from 0-62 + 0-24 to 2-76 + 046 ml min-1 100 g-' (n = 5) and increased adenosine release from -0-40+0-14 (net uptake) to 1-36 +0 50 nmol min-1 100 g-1 (n = 8).3. Infusion of lactic acid (4-2 mM) into the artery reduced venous pH to 7-281 + 0026 (n = 5) and increased adenosine release to 0-96 + 0'40 nmol min-' 100 g-1 (n = 8), but did not significantly alter oxygen consumption (0-80+0-19 ml min-' 100 g-1; n = 5). Stimulation (3 Hz) in the presence of lactic acid infusion produced no further significant changes in venous pH or adenosine release, but increased oxygen consumption to 2-53 + 0-37 ml min-' 100 g-1 (n = 5). 4. Infusion of a range of lactic acid concentrations ( > 1-83 mM) produced dosedependent increases in adenosine release. The maximum lactic acid concentration tested (5 95 mM) reduced venous pH to 7-249 + 0-023 (n = 5) and increased adenosine release to 2-64+ 1-26 nmol min-1 100 g-1 (n = 6).5. A strong correlation existed between the adenosine release and the venous pH (r = -0-92); points obtained during muscle stimulation and/or lactic acid infusion fell on a single correlation line.6. The vasoactivity of adenosine administered by close-arterial injection was unaltered by infusion of either lactic acid (7-2 mM) or saline.7. These results suggest that the release of adenosine from skeletal muscle can be induced by a decrease in pH (probably at an intracellular site), and that this mechanism may contribute to the release of adenosine during muscle contractions.