Chronic (5-16 hr) exposure of cultured human lymphocytes to 10(-8) M insulin at 37 degrees in vitro produced a decrease in insulin receptor concentrations unaccounted for by simple occupancy of sites; acute exposure (0-2 hr) was without effect. These results reproduced observations in vivo where chronic hyperinsulinemia (e.g., 10(-8) M insulin in the circulation of obese insulinresistant hyperglycemic mice) is associated with a substantial reduction in the concentration of insulin receptors per cell, while acute hyperinsulinemia in vivo has no effect on receptor concentration. These data suggest a reciprocal relationship between insulin in the extracellular fluid and the concentration of insulin receptors per cell, which is mediated at the target cell itself by intracellular insulin-sensitive regulatory processes and directly affects target-cell sensitivity to hormone.