We have introduced a plasmid containing the human epsilon-globin gene either stably or transiently into a number of erythroid or non-erythroid cell lines, and analysed the accuracy and efficiency of transcription. In non-erythroid cells (or in mouse erythroleukaemia (MEL) cells in which adult but not embryonic globin genes are expressed) transcription of the epsilon-globin gene occurs mainly from a site 200 bp upstream of the major cap site (the -200 cap site). In the human K562 cell line, in which the endogenous epsilon-globin gene is transcribed at high levels, transcription initiation from the introduced gene occurs mainly from the major cap site. Transcriptional activity of the epsilon-globin gene introduced into K562 cell is quantitatively similar to that of the endogenous gene. This suggests the presence (or absence) in K562 cells of factor(s) which activate (or repress) the epsilon-globin gene in a tissue specific manner.