The present study reports the structural and functional changes of myocardial muscarinic receptor during early and late septic shock, Septic shock was induced by caecum ligation and puncture (CLP). The results showed that the number of M receptor on sarcolemma (SL) increased and that on the light vesicle (LV) decreased during early septic shock. The (3)H-QNB binding of M receptor on SL increased by 33.37%. By contrast during late septic shock, the number of M receptor on LV increased and that on SL decreased. The (3)H-QNB binding of LV M receptor was increased by 29.26%. At the same time phosphorylation of the M receptor was decreased during early septic shock and increased during late septic shock. These results suggest that the changes of M receptors may be related to the myocardial dysfunction during septic shock.