These studies were undertaken to determine whether term human placental microvillus plasma membranes, which are exposed to maternal blood, and basolateral plasma membranes, which are in close proximity to fetal blood capillaries, contain receptors for epidermal growth factor (EGF). These two highly purified membranes bound 125I-EGF with similar affinity (apparent dissociation constants, 0.07-0.12 nM, but the total number of available receptors was greater in microvillus (8.2 pmol/mg protein) compared to basolateral (4.9 pmol/mg protein) plasma membranes. Detailed characterization of 125I-EGF binding to these membranes revealed numerous similarities as well as differences. The two membranes contained two major (155 and 140 kDa) and at least three minor (115, 175, and 210 kDa) specific 125I-EGF binding proteins. The 115-kDa protein was only found in basolateral plasma membranes. The 155-kDa protein was predominantly labeled in microvillus, whereas the 140-kDa protein was labeled predominantly in basolateral plasma membranes. The addition of protease inhibitors did not alter the multiple 125I-EGF binding proteins pattern found in these membranes. EGF stimulated phosphorylation of 140- and 155-kDa proteins in both microvillus and basolateral plasma membranes. However, the 155-kDa protein was phosphorylated to a greater extent in microvillus, whereas both 140- and 155-kDa proteins were phosphorylated equally in basolateral plasma membranes. Light and electron microscope autoradiographic studies revealed that 125I-EGF preferentially associated with microvillus plasma membranes. The data demonstrates the presence of EGF receptors in outer cell membranes of syncytiotrophoblasts and suggests that maternal EGF may influence syncytiotrophoblast function by binding to receptors in microvillus plasma membranes, while fetal EGF may also influence syncytiotrophoblast function but via receptors in basolateral plasma membranes.