Enzymatic and RNA analyses [Northern blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)] were used to evaluate possible control points in the biosynthetic pathway for Le(x) and sLex. beta 1,4 Galactosyltransferase (beta 1,4GalT, an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the core oligosaccharide of the three fucosylated antigens) activity and the corresponding mRNA were found in all of the leukaemia cell lines, regardless of whether or not they expressed the fucosylated antigens.