Expression of transferrin gene in various organs of rat was studied using rat transferrin cDNA. The hybridization method of [35S]-labeled transferrin cDNA with transferrin mRNA in cytoplasmic preparations was used to measure the level of transferrin mRNA. The rat from 15-day old fetus to 21-day old postnatal were employed as an animal model. In the liver, the level of transferrin mRNA increased with increasing age. However, the level of transferrin mRNA in brain was significantly lower than that in liver and the level did not increase with age.