The mechanism of action of indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines was studied in the rat vas deferens, after inhibition of vesicular uptake (by reserpine), of MAO (by pargyline) and of COMT (by U-0521). 1. Km-values for the neuronal uptake of 12 substrates were determined as the IC50 of the unlabelled substrate inhibiting the initial rate of neuronal uptake of 0.2 mumol/l 3H-(-)-noradrenaline. The IC50 ranged from 0.35 mumol/l (for(+)-amphetamine) to 44.3 mumol/l (for 5-HT). The Vmax (determined for 8 substrates) was substrate-dependent. 2. Tissues were loaded with 0.2 mumol/l 3H-(-)-noradrenaline and then washed out with amine-free solution. All 12 substrates of uptake1 induced an outward transport of 3H-noradrenaline, and equieffective concentrations were positively correlated with Km. Moreover, the EC50 for release greatly exceeded Km. It is proposed that this discrepancy between EC50 and Km is indicative of the fact that at least four factors (each one in strict dependence on Km) contribute to the initiation of outward transport of 3H-noradreanline: a) the appearance of the carrier on the inside of the axonal membrane (facilitated exchange diffusion), b) the co-transport of Na+, c) the co-transport of Cl- (both lowering the Km for 3H-noradrenaline at the inside carrier), and d) inhibition of the re-uptake of released 3H-noradrenaline (through competition for the outside carrier). 3. At least for amezinium, Vmax appears to limit the maximum rate of outward transport. 4. For some substrates (especially for the highly lipophilic ones) bell-shaped concentration-release curves were obtained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)