Objective: To investigate the effect of Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharide (RGP) on inducing differentiation of rats bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) into neuron-like cells in vitro. Method: After characterized cell surface markers by flow cytometry analysis and assessed cell growth curve by MTT

rat BMSCs were experimented as the object. When the third passage cells grew to fusion of more than 80%

the cells were divided into 4 groups such as the control group

the β-mercap toethanol (BME)induction group

the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induction group and the (RGP) induction group. Immunocytochemical stain and RT-PCR method were used to detect several neural specific proteins such as nestin

neuronal specific endase(NSE)

glial fibrillory acidic protein(GFAP) and the related mRNA genes expression of nestin

βⅢ-tubulin

NSE and GFAP respectively after 6 hours. Result: Rat BMSCs had good vitality which were isolated

identified and cultivated within five generations. The detection of immunocytochemical stain and RT-PCR method show that neural cell markers were not expressed in the control group

but expressed in the other groups. Positive cells rate of nestin and NSE in the RGP induction group(56.74±1.36)%

(73.37±1.27)% respectively was higher than the BME induction group(28.21±2.43)%

(2.31±2.72)% and the BDNF induction group(31.3±1.61)%

(28.87±1.65)%(P<0.05)and positive cells rate of GFAP(20.17±1.27)%lower (P<0.05)

but there was no difference between the BME induction group and the BDNF induction group in nestin

NSE and GFAP positive cells rate. Conclusion: The rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could be differentiated into neure-like cells in vitro with the induction of R. glutinosa polysaccharide

mainly inducted to neuron-like cell.