Adrenocortical membrane protein was isolated from the adrenal glands of 12 Large White x Landrace male pigs, six with high adrenocortical response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and six with low response. 2. The peptide (Phe2, Nle4) ACTH was iodinated by the chloramine-T method and served as the radioligand in receptor binding studies. 3. Only one class of ACTH receptor was detected, with Kd = 2.57 +/- 0.35 x 10(9) M and Bmax = 1.59 +/- 0.06 pmol/mg protein in high responders and Kd = 1.68 +/- 0.18 x 10(-9) M and Bmax = 1.17 +/- 0.11 pmol/mg protein in low responders. 4. The difference in the Bmax between high and low responders was significant (P < 0.05), the difference in Kd was not statistically significant.