Isoelectric focusing demonstrated that T cell growth factor (TCGF), T cell replacing factor (TRF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) derived from concanavalin A-stimulated T cell hybridomas and spleen cells are heterogeneous with respect to charge. The spleen cell-derived TCGF and TRF activities focused with isoelectric points (pI) between 3.5 and 6.5 whereas the range for GM-CSF activity was broader (pI, 3.5 to 8.0). The T cell hybridoma-derived activities were slightly more acidic. Neuraminidase treatment of both hybridoma 123 and spleen cell-derived material resulted in a major peak of each activity (TRF/TCGF pI, 4.9; GM-CSF pI, 4.7). Neuraminidase treatment of hybridoma T6-derived material resulted in peaks of TRF and TCGF around 6.0 as well as one around 5.0, suggesting that this charge heterogeneity was due to causes other than variations in the level of sialic acid on the relevant molecules. Tunicamycin-treated spleen cells or hybridoma 123 cells released biologically active TCGF, TRF, and GM-CSF. Each of these three activities from tunicamycin-treated spleen cells focused with pI around 5.0. A major fraction of TRF, TCGF, and GM-CSF activities bound to wheat-germ agglutinin. GM-CSF also bound to concanavalin A and lentil lectin. These results suggest that the molecules responsible for TCGF, TRF, and GM-SCF activities are glycosylated and that the observed heterogeneity in charge and lectin-binding characteristics is due in part to variable glycosylation. Glycosylation was not critical for any of the three biologic activities. No conclusive separation of TRF and TCGF activities was observed in these experiments although GM-CSF differed from TRF and TCGF in that it bound to Concanavalin A.