The present study investigates whether Schwann cells(SCs) could promote the survival and differentiation ofneural stem cells in the injured spinal cord. Neural stemcells were dissociated and cloned from the hippocampaltissue of newborn rats. SCs were also dissociated andpurified simultaneously from the sciatic nerves of 4-dayoldrats. The results showed that the number of survivingneural stem cells and differentiated neuron-like cells wassignificantly increased in the co-grafted (SCs and neuralstem cells) group compared with the control group (neuralstem cells only). Neuron-like cells that developedaxon-like processes were observed more commonly inthe cograftedgroup. These results demonstrate thatSCs can promote the survival and differentiation oftransplanted neural stem cells in the injured spinal cord.