Immunolocalization of desmin in fetal rat livers shows that on day 12 of gestation a high number of liver cells express desmin. This number decreases from day 14 onward. On day 20 about the same density of desmin-containing cells is found in fetal rat livers as is found in adult rat livers. Desmin-containing cells show two types of labeling patterns, especially on days 12 and 13 of gestation: (a) a basketlike network of intermediate filaments throughout the whole cell, similar to the labeling pattern of cytokeratin in hepatocytes; and (b) more strongly labeled intermediate filaments developing long and slender processes between adjacent cells, close to the labeling pattern of Ito cells in adult rats. From day 14 of gestation, the first type becomes rare, and from day 18 only the second type remains. Double-labeling experiments show that coexpression of desmin and cytokeratin is found in cells of the first type on days 12, 13 and 14 of gestation. Cells containing desmin with the labeling pattern of the second type never express cytokeratin. Coexpression of vimentin and cytokeratin is never found in fetal hepatocytes, even on day 12 of gestation. Numerous nonhepatocyte cells coexpress desmin and vimentin, but some cells contain vimentin or desmin alone. In desmin-containing cells the labeling pattern is of the first type (basketlike network). These results suggest that in early stages of fetal liver development, desmin is found in two different types of liver cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)