The androgen receptor (AR) from calf uterine cytosol has been studied in terms of steroid-binding affinity, hormone dissociation kinetics, and DNA-cellulose-binding capacity. The binding affinity for three androgens, analyzed under conditions where binding to progesterone receptor did not occur, decreased in the order: methyltrienolone greater than 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone greater than testosterone. Activation of the receptor to the DNA-binding state involved the following changes of the receptor: decrease in dissociation rate for the steroid, disaggregation of the receptor, and increase in affinity for DNA. Dissociation studies with methyltrienolone and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone revealed that the AR can exist in two affinity states which differ 13- to 30-fold in their affinity for the steroid. Molybdate (10-20 mM) prevented the formation of the high affinity state. The high affinity state receptor was formed in the absence of molybdate or after ammonium sulfate precipitation (0-40% saturation) of the molybdate-stabilized low affinity state receptor. During formation of the high affinity state, the sedimentation coefficient of the receptor in low ionic strength buffer decreased from 8-9S to 4.5S, indicating receptor disaggregation. DNA-cellulose binding capacity increased from 3 to 65% upon formation of the high affinity state. The DNA-binding form could be eluted from DNA-cellulose at 0.14 M NaCl. After elution the DNA-binding form maintained its sedimentation coefficient of 4.5S and chromatographed as a protein with a Stokes radius of 44 A. From these results it can be concluded that the activated, DNA-binding form of the AR in calf uterus is a protein with a molecular mass of approximately 85,000, which acquires a higher affinity for the ligand upon its formation.