Abstract: P>Objective To explore the feasibility of differentiation into neural cells from bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs) in vitro by breviscapine,and to offer reference for the applying of BMSCs. Methods The bone marrow stromal cells of SD rat were separated and purified by passsage culture.After phenotype characterization,the 4th passage of BMSCs was exposed to breviscapine. Differentiation was observed under phase contrast microscope every 6 hours and the cells were stained immunocytochemically with neuronspecific enolase（NSE）and glial fibrillary acidic protein（GFAP）.The induced cells activity was detected by MTT. NSE and GFAP were determined by flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Results The BMSCs were CD44SUP>+/SUP> ，CD54SUP>+/SUP> ，CD34SUP>- /SUP>. After 18 hours of induction, cytoplasm of BMSCs partly contracted with protruding;The immunocytochemical staining was performed on cells after induction for 24 hours，the rates of NSE and GFAP staining positive were（48.7±3.4）％ and（56.8±4.2）%.By using flow cytometer, expressions of NSE and GFAP showed much higher in induced gro

Key words: Bone marrow stromal cells, Neuron, Glial cells, Breviscapine, Immunohistochemistry, Rat