The mucin-type carbohydrate Tn cryptantigen (GalNAc alpha 1-O-Ser/Thr, where GalNAc is N-acetyl-D-galactosamine) is expressed in many carcinomas, in haemopoietic disorders including the Tn syndrome, and on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coat glycoproteins, but is not expressed on normal, differentiated cells because of the expression of a Tn-processing galactosyltransferase.