The mononuclear cells separated from human blood by Ficoll-Hypaque centrifugation contained and released sialyltransferase, galactosyltransferase, and fucosyltransferase. Granulocytes contained and released lesser amounts of glycosyltransferases, whereas platelets released more fucosyltransferase than sialyltransferase or galactosyltransferase. When mononuclear cells were incubated with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), the release of these three glycosyltransferases increased two- to six-fold, and cell suspension glycosyltransferase activities decreased 10-50%. Mononuclear cells were fractionated into lymphocytes and monocytes using baby hamster kidney cells microexudate-coated flasks. TPA stimulated the release of glycosyltransferases from lymphocytes but not from monocytes. The release of glycosyltransferases by TPA-treated mononuclear cells was not further stimulated by reincubation with TPA and was not affected by puromycin, cAMP, or cGMP. Concanavalin A, a mitogenic stimulator of lymphocytes, also stimulated the release of glycosyltransferases from mononuclear cells, but to a lesser extent. TPA did not stimulate the release of 5'-nucleotidase or decrease its activity on the cell pellet. Triton X-100 (0.2%) stimulated the release of glycosyltransferases to the same extent as TPA, but also caused the release of 5'-nucleotidase. [(3)H]TPA bound specifically and reversibly to mononuclear cells. The possible relationship between glycosyltransferase release and TPA effect on the plasma membrane is discussed.