To investigate the efects of GM1 on inducing adult rat bone marrow stromal cells(MSCs)to form neural progenitor cells and their diferentiation. Purified M SCs were induced by different components of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) alone. GM1 alone or combination of bFGF with GM1. After 3 days' incubation. fibronectin and collagen I were detected with immunocytochemistry, and nestin was detected with immunofluorescence. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and galactose cerebroside (GalC) were detected with immunocytochemistry after 7 days'incubation. After induction with bFGF alone or combination of bFGF and GM1. some MSCs exhibited the phenot3 pes of neural progenitor cells, and then neurons and astrocytes. In these two groups, the positive cells for M SCs (marow fnr0onmh ehmemata0pto0pieoiteictic esltles mtir noc meblalolsn e macrelolws) diferaernet. Literatures report that MSCs are muhipotential and MSCs can be transformed into neural progenitor cells and then differentiated into neural cells and glial cells. GM1. a major subclass of cerebral gangliosides, is an important part of celI membrane. Exogenous GMl can mimic the function of neurotrophic factors through inserting into membranes of neurons and resist neuronal insults resulting from various factors. To our knowledge, so Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China(Zhang H1 General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China(Sun HY, Zhang JN and rang SY)Second Teaching Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin China(Wang JZ) Corresponding author: Tel: 86-22-23379321, fibronectin and collagen I decreased markedly after 3 days' induction. At the same time, the positive ceHs for nestin increased markedly. After 7 days'induction. NSE an d GFAPpositive cels increased significantly. Furtherm ore, the addition of bFGF an d GM1 caused the maximal variation. However. addition of GM1 alone had no inductive efects Condusions: Combination of bFGF、Irith GMI may synergistically promote the tran sform ation of MSCs and diferentiationinto neurons and astrocyte-like ceHs. The results suggest a promising route for the application of MSCS