The aim of this work was to verify if, compared to mammals, the lower molecular weight of GH-R previously reported in salmonid is real or due to the experimental process. For this purpose, we compared the apparent molecular weight of GH-R, obtained by SDS-PAGE after cross-linking with I-125-rtGH, obtained from rainbow trout crude liver membrane preparation, incubated in different buffers with those obtained after purification with affinity chromatography. Using crude liver membrane preparation, two specific bands of I-125-rtGH-protein complex were observed: the major one corresponds to a MW of 70 kDa and the minor one to 45 kDa. However, the pattern of electrophoresis varied according to the different incubation buffers tested. Digestion of the cross-linked complex with beta-galactosidase and phospholipase did not significantly modify the position of bands, whilst N-glycosidase F induced a large smear including 4 more pronounced bands (50, 65, 97 and > 130 kDa), the heavier band corresponding to the most intensive signal. GH receptors were purified using solubilisation and affinity chromatography. The yield of the liver GH-R from crude liver membrane preparation by the solubilization technique was optimized (48%) using Triton 1% for 1 h (12 degrees C ). Specific binding sites in the solubilized membrane proteins were saturable when incubated with increasing I-125-rtGH concentrations, and revealed a high affinity constant (Ka=0.7x10(9) M-1). After affinity chromatography, specific binding activity was increased 64,000 fold. However, the purity of the preparation was partial and the purification yield was very low (about 0.3%). This enriched fraction, analysed by SDS-PAGE after cross-linking, showed a very intense band (about 63 kDa) which disappeared with an excess of cold rtGH. These results suggest that the lower molecular weight observed in salmonid (41 kDa), compared to mamals, is not due to the experimental process. The significance of GH-R size difference between salmonids and mammals is discussed.