The isozymes of the 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD) gene family are responsible for the formation of the 17 beta-hydroxysteroids delta 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol, testosterone, 17 beta-estradiol, and dihydrotestosterone from their corresponding 17-ketosteroid precursors, thus playing a pivotal role in the formation of active sex steroids in both steroidogenic and peripheral target tissues. To clone the type II 17 beta-HSD gene, the full-length cDNA type II 17 beta-HSD was used as probe to screen a human leukocyte genomic DNA library. The type II 17 beta-HSD gene contains seven exons and spans > 40 kbp. The type II 17 beta-HSD gene encodes two alternatively spliced mRNAs that give rise to the previously identified type IIA 17 beta-HSD protein of 387 amino acids, as well as to a related 291-amino-acid type IIB 17 beta-HSD protein of unknown function. RNA blot analysis revealed the presence of a major 1.45-kb transcript that is abundant in placenta and endometrium. The mRNA cap site has been localized in a region between 179 and 167 nucleotides upstream of the ATG start codon by RNase protection and S1 nuclease mapping analyses. Cloning of the 17 beta-HSD type II gene provides us with the tools to study its transcriptional expression.