The composition and function of fetal and mature sheep cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes were investigated. Phospholamban, a major phosphoprotein in the mature sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes, was present in early stages of cardiac myogenesis. This fetal form of phospholamban was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase but not in the presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin. Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity were low in fetal sarcoplasmic reticulum compared with the adult controls, although the apparent affinities for Ca2+ were similar. Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated at all developmental stages had very low levels of plasma membrane (as determined by Na+-K+-ATPase and Na+-Ca2+ exchanger activities) and mitochondrial contamination. Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-dependent ATPase activities were not affected by micromolar concentrations of vanadate, and the accumulated Ca2+ could not be released by the addition of NaCl. The amount of both the 110- and 55-kDa protein bands, identified with specific antibodies as Ca2+-ATPase and calsequestrin, respectively, was low in early stages of cardiac myogenesis. Age-related differences in the Ca2+ transport properties of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum and in the amount of the Ca2+-ATPase and calsequestrin may explain alterations in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentrations in the fetal heart. This may contribute to the developmental changes in myocardial function.