ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of gastrodia in extracorporeal oriented inducing the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mesenchymal stem cells were separated from bone marrow of rats by wall sticking method, amplifying cultured in vitro, and differentiated into neuron-like cells by oriented induction with gastrodia. The morphology of cells was observed under light microscopy, neuro-specific enolase (NSE), nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were detected by immunocytochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Rats mesenchymal stem cells could be separated and amplified in vitro. After being induced by gastrodia for 2 hrs, most of the cells would be differentiated into meuron-like cells, revealing cytodendrite. By immunochemical staining, cells showed positive of NSE, nestin, and negative of GFAP.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Rats' mesenchymal stem cells could be induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells.</p>