Lipid partitioning of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) inadequately explains its tissue distribution since higher concentrations occur in liver than fat except at high doses. This study provides in vivo evidence that an inducible, saturable system plays a predominant role in disposition of [14C]TCDD in female mice at doses between 5 and 20 micrograms/kg. Female C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with 0, 5, or 15 micrograms TCDD/kg, received a subsequent gavage of 5 or 20 micrograms [14C]TCDD after 6 days, and were killed 1 day later. In mice pretreated with 5 and 15 micrograms TCDD/kg and subsequently dosed with 20 micrograms [14C]TCDD/kg, liver weight and [14C]TCDD concentration increased. Total liver [14C]TCDD burden increased about 50% in both pretreatment groups. Concentrations of [14C]TCDD in kidney, fat, heart, lung, gastrointestinal tract, but not plasma or splenic lymphocytes, decreased in a reciprocal manner. Alterations in absorption, concentrations of polar metabolites of [14C]TCDD in liver, and hepatic lipid content failed to explain these results. About 97% of hepatic 14C was hexane extractable. HPLC of this extract indicated [14C]TCDD was the only significant nonpolar form of radiolabel in liver. In mice pretreated with 5 micrograms TCDD/kg and subsequently dosed with 5 micrograms [14C]TCDD/kg, a more marked pretreatment disposition response was observed. These results are consistent with a predominant role for an inducible, high affinity, low capacity system in whole animal pharmacokinetics of TCDD.