The Ah receptor protein, important in the mechanism of induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity, has been identified and partially characterized in hepatic cytosolic preparations from rat, BALB/c mouse, gerbil, hamster, rabbit, ferret and guinea-pig by means of sucrose density centrifugation analysis and hydroxyapatite binding assays. Using 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro[3H]dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as the ligand, total specific binding capacities ranged over 74-691 fmol [3H]TCDD/mg cytosolic protein and apparent dissociation constants ranged over 0.30-7.8 nM. There was no quantitative correlation between the concentration of cytosolic Ah receptors and the 3-methylcholanthrene-mediated induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in the species studied. Competitive binding studies with a series of monohydroxylated benzo[a]pyrene derivatives suggested the importance of electronic character in their ability to bind to the Ah receptor and to compete with TCDD for specific binding sites on the receptor.