High affinity binding of 125I-labeled salmon calcitonin ([125I]SCT) and calcitonin-activated adenylate cyclase were detectable in renal plasma membranes from the rat. Addition of 5'-guanylyl-imidodiphosphate lowered the threshold for enzyme activation by peptide hormones. Renal plasma membranes from man, dog and cow contained little or no calcitonin-sensitive adenylate cyclase and showed no high affinity binding of [125I]SCT. High affinity binding sites were distributed during membrane fractionation in fractions where the specific activity of hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase was greatest. Calcitonin binding and activation of the adenylate cyclase enzyme occurred at similar hormone concentrations. The relative potencies of calcitonin analogues were similar whether measured by competition for high affinity binding sites or by effect on adenylate cyclase. Low concentrations of Lubrol-PX, a nonionic detergent, did not affect catalytic function of the enzyme determined in the presence of sodium fluoride but caused parallel loss of high affinity [125I]SCT binding and hormonal sensitivity of the enzyme. This observation provided further evidence that interaction of calcitonin with specific receptors (identified with [125I]SCT binding) is essential for calcitonin activation of adenylate cyclase, but showed that catalytic activity of enzyme does not require functioning hormone receptors.