The calcium uptake and release machinery in heart SR have been characterized: (1) The calcium pump membrane is involved in energized Ca2+ uptake enabling muscle to relax. The calcium pump protein (CPP) in heart SR is modulated by protein kinase phosphorylation of phospholamban lowering the KCa2+. We conclude that in the membrane, phospholamban elevates KCa2+ of calcium pump protein. Phosphorylation of phospholamban attenuates the influence of phospholamban. In the limit, the intrinsic KCa2+ of calcium pump protein in heart and skeletal muscle are approximately the same. (2) The junctional face membrane is involved in calcium release which triggers muscle contraction. Ryanodine is a specific modulator of the Ca2+ release channels of SR which are involved in excitation-contraction coupling. The ryanodine receptor has been isolated, found to be equivalent to the feet structures, and on reconstitution into bilayers, identified as the calcium release channel of SR. The calcium release channel of SR is closed by ruthenium red and Mg2+ and opened by Ca2+ and ATP and low ryanodine concentration. The calcium release channel of SR is not effected by drugs such as nitrendipine, diltiazem and D-600 which modulate the slow inward Ca2+ channel of the plasmalemma/transverse tubule. (3) The calcium release channels from heart and skeletal muscle SR are similar but not identical (Table IV). Important differences distinguish the calcium release machinery in heart from that of skeletal muscle. 1. In heart there are two sources of calcium fluxes: a) extracellular Ca2+ enters via the plasmalemma slow inward calcium current; and b) "Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release" from SR. In skeletal muscle, SR is the single main source of calcium which enters via "Depolarization induced calcium release". 2. The calcium release channel from heart SR has a lower Mr approximately 340,000 vs 360,000 for skeletal muscle. 3. Ryanodine binding in cardiac SR is distinct from that in skeletal muscle (Fig. 7). 4. The isolated calcium release channel from heart SR is more sensitive to Ca2+ for calcium release (Hymel et al. 1988c). Significant progress has been achieved in identifying the calcium release channel of SR in heart and skeletal muscle. The focus of excitation-contraction coupling now shifts to defining the precise nature of the coupling of excitation to contraction.