[3H]SR 47436, a selective and potent novel non-peptide antagonist of angiotensin receptors, was used to characterize the cardiac angiotensin AT1 receptors. In neonatal rat heart cells, Scatchard analysis showed a single class of high affinity binding sites (Kd = 0.24 nM, Bmax = 28 fmol/mg protein). The binding was saturable, reversible and prevented by angiotensin II and the AT1 subtype receptor antagonist DuP 753 whilst unaffected by the AT2 receptor antagonist PD123177. In the same cells, angiotensin II induced a twofold increase in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), with a half-maximal effect (EC50) at 14 nM. This increase was prevented by SR 47436 (IC50 = 1.03 nM) and by the AT1 receptor antagonist DuP 753, but at higher concentrations (IC50 = 15.6 nM) and was unaffected by PD123177. These data directly demonstrate the presence of cardiac AT1 receptors in rat neonatal cardiomyocytes and confirm the involvement of AT1 receptors in cardiac Ca2+ homeostasis.