By analogy with DBA, we have investigated the expression profiles of a large group of ribosomal- and translation-related genes in the CD34+ cells of 15 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients with 5q− syndrome, 18 MDS patients with refractory anaemia (RA) and a normal karyotype, and 17 healthy controls. The gene discussed is CD34; the disease is myelodysplastic syndrome.