Acute hyperinsulinaemias induced by insulin and stimulants of insulin secretion have been shown to cause a translocation of liver insulin receptors from the cell surface to the intracellular compartment, with little or no change in total receptor number. To determine whether a similar phenomenon occurs in chronic hyperinsulinaemic states, we have carried out a longitudinal study of total, cell surface and intracellular liver insulin receptors in genetically obese Zucker rats, with spontaneously develop hyperinsulinaemia. Liver plasma membranes, Golgi-endosomal fractions, a microsomal fraction and a total particulate fraction were isolated in 2-14-week old obese (fa/fa) rats and examined for specific insulin binding relative to lean (Fa/?) age-matched animals. In 16-day old rats, which were still normoinsulinaemic, insulin binding was unchanged. Later on, as hyperinsulinaemia developed, three sequential changes in insulin binding activity were observed: first, a 25-30% increase in Golgi-endosomal fractions (20 days); then, a 50-60% decrease in Golgi-endosomal fractions (4-5 weeks); and finally, a 50% decrease in plasma membranes (11 weeks), microsomal fraction and total particulate fraction (14 weeks), accompanied by restoration in Golgi-endosomal fractions (8-11 weeks). Unlike insulin receptors, insulin extractable from Golgi-endosomal fractions at 4-5 weeks was unchanged or increased. We conclude that, although an early increase in the endocytosis of liver insulin receptors may occur in hyperinsulinaemic Zucker rats, this mechanism does not account for the later decrease in cell surface receptors observed in these animals.