The maturation of the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-(cAMP) dependent pathway controlling fetal lung liquid secretion was examined in experiments in which the lungs of chronically catheterized fetal lambs (123-141 days gestational age) were exposed to dibutyryl cAMP (DBcAMP, 10(-4) M). The effect of DBcAMP was markedly gestation dependent, with the greatest effect observed in the most mature fetuses. In immature fetuses (less than 130 days, mean age 125 days) DBcAMP caused slowing of secretion, with maximal effect at 5 h. With increasing maturity the effect of DBcAMP was more pronounced and occurred earlier so that in mature fetuses (mean age 140 days) lung liquid absorption took place, with maximal effect at 2 h. Changes in lung liquid volume flow induced by DBcAMP could be blocked by addition of 10(-4) M amiloride to lung liquid. It is concluded that 1) DBcAMP induces a change in lung liquid secretion that, like epinephrine, is mediated via an increase in Na+ permeability of the apical membrane of the lung epithelium and 2) the rate-limiting step in the maturation of this process must lie beyond the generation of intracellular cAMP.