ESTs (expressed sequence tags) provide complementary resources for structural and functional analyses of the human genome. We have performed single-pass sequencing of 2058 randomly selected, directionally cloned cDNAs isolated from a fetal-lung cDNA library constructed with oligo(dT) primers, Computer analyses of the 5'-end sequences revealed that 60.4% of the clones were considered to be identical to previously reported human genes or ESTs; 9.0% of them showed significant homology to known genes in human, other mammals, or lower organisms; 30.6% showed no homology to any genes or DNA sequences in the public database. These data and reagents will be useful for future investigations of gene expression during prenatal development of human lung. (C) 1993 Academic Press, Inc.