This work reports the primary nucleotide structure and in vitro translation of a cDNA, expressed by a gene mapping on chromosome 12, that encodes a human hepatic alpha-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (L-glycerol-3-phosphate:NAD oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.1.1.8). The 1413 bp cDNA comprises an ORF of 1050 bp that encodes a 349 amino acid protein of 37.5 kDa. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ mRNA from human liver showed three transcripts, while from human placenta only two transcripts were detected.