Using malachite green single agent coloration and acetate membrane electrophoresis, we studied the cellular creatine kinase (CK) activity and its isoenzymes in 7 normal controls and 26 leukemia patients. The leukemic cellular CK activity was 12.62 +/- 4.86 u/mg protein, 2.2 times higher than the normal value (5.73 +/- 2.66 u/mg protein, p less than 0.05). Only 2 of 5 normal leukocyte samples showed '+' CK isoenzyme MM. 22 leukemia patients had CK isoenzyme. CK-BB appeared mainly in acute granulocytic leukemic, and CK-MM mainly in other types. CK-MB was also found in 6 patients. The recurrence of CK-BB may indicate atavism, and the enhanced anaerobic glycolysis and the accelerated energetic turnover may be on of the metabolic characteristics of leukemic cell.