The number of muscarinic cholinergic receptors detected with [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) was constant in embryonic chick heart membranes but increased 2.5-fold by 3 days posthatching; the KD for [3H]QNB did not change. The affinities of the muscarinic receptors for agonists, as determined in in vitro [3H]QNB competition experiments, differed during development. The IC50 values were lowest for 10- to 14-day embryonic heart receptors, intermediate for 18- to 20-day embryonic receptors and highest for 3- to 7-day newborn heart receptors. These apparent differences in agonist affinity were not overcome by guanine nucleotides or monovalent cations alone, but were greatly diminished in the presence of a combination of guanylylimidodiphosphate plus NH4+. Modeling of [3H]QNB/oxotremorine competition curves indicated the presence of three agonist affinity states in membranes from embryonic heart and two in newborn hearts. The KD values for oxotremorine increased during development. The proportion of receptors displaying the highest affinity for oxotremorine was constant at all ages tested whereas the proportion displaying the lowest affinity decreased from 16% in membranes from 12-day embryonic hearts to zero in newborn hearts. The physiological significance of the differences in the properties of the receptors was investigated by assessing their ability to attenuate adenylate cyclase. The efficacy of agonists to attenuate basal adenylate cyclase increased 1.5-fold after birth, whereas the potency of agonists to produce this effect was similar at all ages tested.