Transient ischemia does not induce myocardial necrosis but may be associated with prolonged contractile dysfunction ("stunned" myocardium). It has been suggested that alteration of the excitation-contraction coupling system (sarcoplasmic reticulum) could be responsible for this phenomenon. We tested this hypothesis by characterizing sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function in an isolated rat heart model of "stunned" myocardium (hearts reperfused after 10 min of normothermic global ischemia). At the end of the ischemic period oxalate-supported Ca-uptake was depressed either in the whole homogenate or in isolated SR (to 47% and 22% of control values, respectively). During reperfusion Ca-uptake of the whole heart homogenate recovered almost completely whereas slight but significant depression persisted in isolated SR (48 +/- 2 vs 67 +/- 4 nmol/min x mg, P less than 0.01). In the presence of ruthenium red or ryanodine, two inhibitors of SR Ca-release channels, Ca-uptake was stimulated. Both in the whole heart homogenate and in isolated SR, such stimulation was remarkably smaller after reperfusion than in control conditions (P less than 0.001) suggesting reduced conductivity state of the SR Ca-release channels. Ca-stimulated, magnesium-dependent ATPase activity was remarkably reduced during ischemia and postischemic reperfusion induced only incomplete recovery (93 +/- 18 vs 169 +/- 14 nmol ATP/min x mg protein, P less than 0.05). We conclude that complex modifications of SR function occur in the "stunned" myocardium and could contribute to the contractile impairment found in this condition.