Galactokinase was purified from Chinese hamster liver. The purification process consisted of an initial biphasic partition separation followed by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. DEAE-Sephadex, Sephacryl S-200 and hydroxyapatite. 2. The enzyme was stabilized during the purification procedure by the inclusion of 10% glycerol, 1 mM phosphate and 20 mM beta-mercaptoethanol in all the buffer solutions. 3. Chromatography on hydroxyapatite separated two forms of galactokinase, one of which was purified to homogeneity using gel electrophoresis. 4. The purified galactokinase has a mol. wt of approximately 60,000 as determined by SDS gel electrophoresis and molecular sieving column chromatography. 5. The pH optimum is 7.4 and the Km for galactose is 1.16 x 10(-4) M.