Objective To investigate the role of synapsin-I in the differentiation of the embryonic stem cells (ESC) into the neuron,and to seek a controllable point for the ESC neural differentiation in vitro.Methods Neural differentiation of ESC was induced with the "five step approach",synapsin-I antisense oligonucleotides (AS ONs) was employed to inhibit the synapsin-I expression at different stages. At different time points,morphology,differentiation efficiency and neural specific markers were compared among the normal group and the transfected groups.A tumor cell line called PC12 cell was compared with the ESC at the same time.Results After the synapsin-I AS ONs were used in ESC differentiation, considerable decreases of neuritegrowth rate and neural precursor cells (nestin (+)) percentage were observed at Stage 3(68.5%?4.2% vs 76.2%?5.1% and 75.8%?4.9%,P