Carbonic anhydrases II and IV play an essential role in the synthesis and secretion of HCO3- ions in pancreatic duct cells. Secretion of these ions is regulated by the CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) chloride channel. In the present study, the expression of carbonic anhydrases IV and their targeting to plasma membranes were examined during the growth of human pancreatic duct cells in vitro. Human cancerous pancreatic duct cells of Capan-1 cell line which polarize during their growth were used. We show that: a) these cells express carbonic anhydrases IV continuously during growth in culture, and the expression depends on the stage of growth and the conformation of the cells; b) carbonic anhydrases IV are seen in the cytoplasm in non-polarized cells, but become progressively anchored to plasma membranes as the cells polarize, being targeted to the apical membranes of polarized cells; c) the subcellular distribution of carbonic anhydrases IV indicates that these enzymes are synthetized in rough endoplasmic reticulum and then transported towards the plasma membrane using the classical secretory pathway through the Golgi apparatus. The results indicated that targeting of carbonic anhydrases IV in Capan-1 cells is linked to cellular polarization.