Developmental changes in the myocardial diastolic ventricular interaction of hearts excised from 12 preterm (126 +/- 0.8 SE days gestation; term = 147 days) and eight newborn (2.5 +/- 0.2 SE days postnatal age) lambs were evaluated in vitro. The excised hearts were immersed in a cold cardioplegic solution during which time compliant balloon catheters were inserted into the right and left ventricles through the pulmonary artery and aorta, respectively. The catheters were alternately connected to an infusion pump and appropriate transducers in order to obtain simultaneous biventricular pressure and volume measurements as the volume of each ventricle was varied. Computerized analysis of the pressure and volume recording was used to determine right and left ventricular free wall compliance, ventricular septal compliance, and pressure and volume transfer functions. Ventricular septal compliance was significantly less than the free wall compliances within both groups. Ventricular septal compliance (p less than 0.05) and transfer functions (p less than 0.05) in the preterm were significantly lower than in the newborn. No significant differences in ventricular free wall compliances were found between or within age groups. These findings demonstrate an increase in ventricular coupling and functional interaction with development, potentially attributable to an increase in septal compliance with development.