The sequence of the human laminin beta 2 chain (previously s-laminin) was derived from cloned cDNAs. The complete translation product has 1798 amino acid residues, including a 32-residue signal peptide. The human chain lacks the tripeptide sequence LRE in domain I which is present in the rat polypeptide chain and has been shown to promote motor neuronal cell adhesion. The human gene (LAMB2) was localized to chromosome 3p21 using somatic cell hybrids and fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis. Northern and in situ hybridization analyses from numerous fetal tissues revealed that the beta 2 chain is generally widely expressed. beta 2, but not beta 1, was shown by in situ hybridization to be expressed in fetal brain and renal glomeruli. In fetal skin, beta 2 was expressed both in epidermal and dermal cells, while beta 1 was expressed only in the dermis. Expression of beta 2 in fetal liver was seen in hepatocytes, while no signals were observed for beta 1. In lung, both beta 1 and beta 2 were expressed in alveoli and bronchial smooth muscle cells, whereas only the beta 2 chain was expressed in bronchial epithelial cells. In striated muscle, however, the beta 1 chain, but not beta 2, was expressed. These results indicate different biological roles for the laminin beta 1 and beta 2 chains.