We examined the effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) transients, intracellular pH (pHi), and cell contraction in both embryonic and neonatal as well as in adult ventricular myocytes. Exposure of chick ventricular myocytes to ET-1 (10 nM) significantly decreased both peak systolic and end-diastolic [Ca2+]i (from 949 +/- 43 to 628 +/- 59 nM and from 230 +/- 13 to 162 +/- 8 nM, respectively; P < 0.05, n = 12). The amplitude of cell contraction was also decreased during exposure to 10 nM ET-1 (81.7 +/- 1.2% of control, P < 0.01, n = 12). Exposure to 10 nM ET-1 slightly decreased pHi (-0.055 +/- 0.020 U; P < 0.05). Exposure of cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes to ET-1 (10 nM) produced similar effects. Responses of adult rabbit ventricular myocytes to ET-1 were dramatically different from those of embryonic or neonatal ventricular myocytes. Exposure to 10 nM ET-1 increased the amplitude of cell contraction to 159 +/- 32% of control (P < 0.01) without an increase in [Ca2+]i transients. ET-1 also increased pHi (+0.081 +/- 0.047 U; P < 0.01). These results indicate that ET-1 produces a negative inotropic effect by decreasing [Ca2+]i transients and induces a slight intracellular acidosis in immature ventricular myocytes. However, ET-1 causes a positive inotropic effect in adult ventricular myocytes via an intracellular alkalinization, rather than by an increase in the [Ca2+]i transient. Thus the response of myocytes to vasoactive peptides may vary with development and/or species.