This study investigated systematically the diffusive transfer of water and glucose across the chorionic plate of the human placenta. Isolated sections of human term placentae were perfused at the fetal side (open loop) with modified Ringer's solution (n=31). An artificial amniotic compartment was created on top of the chorionic plate. 3H- and 14C-labelled tracer pairs were added (donor side) to the fetal perfusion fluid or to the 'amniotic' fluid. Transfer fractions (TF, ratio of acceptor side to donor side radioactivity) were calculated as percentages. TF of water and L-glucose from perfusion fluid into the 'amniotic' fluid were 3.9+/-0.5 per cent (mean+/-SEM) and 1.2+/-0.3 per cent after 60 min and significantly different (n=6). In each sample of the following experiments the transfer fraction of the D-hexose was larger than that of the L-isomer. At 60 min, the TF were 1.6+/-0.2 and 1.1+/-0.2 per cent (D-glucose/L-glucose; fetal to amniotic compartment, n=8), from amniotic compartment to fetal perfusate 0.6+/-0.1 and 0.4+/-0.1 per cent (D-glucose/L-glucose, n=11), and 0.8+/-0.1 and 0.6+/-0.1 per cent (3-O-methyl-D-glucose/L-glucose, n=6). The difference between the latter TF lost its significance after cytochalasin B (0.1-0.2 mmol/l) had been added to the amniotic compartment. It is concluded that a limited diffusive pathway across the chorionic plate of the human placenta exists and that the transfer of D-glucose depends in part on facilitated diffusion.