The kinetics of the volume-dependent activation of Na+/H+ exchange, Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport and K+,Cl(-)-cotransport in rat erythrocytes was studied. The significant increase in the rate of Na+/H+ exchange is observed within 15 min after hypertonic shrinkage while the maximum transport rate is reached by 20 min. A delay of about 5 min was found in activation of Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport, the maximum transport rate being reached 10 min after shrinkage. Activation of K+,Cl(-)-cotransport by hypotonic swelling was registered within 10 min after cell swelling, with a simultaneous achievement of the constant transport rate. Preincubation of cells at 49 degrees C has no effect on the basal Na+/H+ exchange and Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport but suppresses the activation of these systems by osmotic shrinkage. On the contrary, the rate of K+,Cl(-)-cotransport in isosmotic medium is raised 10-fold after preincubation at 49 degrees C. The thermal treatment at 49 degrees C blocks the activation of K+,Cl(-)-cotransport by swelling. On the basis of the data on thermal denaturation of spectrin at the same temperature it was suggested that the cytoskeleton of erythrocyte membrane is involved in volume regulation of the ion-transporting systems and that the molecular mechanisms which underlie the activation of Na+/H+ exchange, Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport and K+,Cl(-)-cotransport are essentially different.