Abstract: Objective To study the induction of mesenchymal stem cell(MSC)into islet-like cells and its therapeutic effect on diabetes in rats.Methods MSCs were cultured,exp nded in vitro and induced into islet-like cells in high glucose DMEM media with factors like bFGF,EGF.The induced cells were identified by dithizon staining.Differentiated islet-like cells were transplanted into Wistar rats with diabetes mellitus prepared by STZ and the treatment effect was obse rved.Results After the MSCs were induced in vitro,their forms changed from long spindle-shape to polygon or round and attached into islet-like cell.Most of induced cells showed bright red color in dithizon staining.After the differentiated islet-like cells were transplanted into diabetes-model rats for1 week,the syndrome of polydipsia and polyuria was decreased.Ten days later,the blood glucose valuedec reased(14.604±3.326mmol/L)but was not significantly different from that of in control group(22.256±4.051 mmol/L,P>0.05).The urine glucose value decreased(8.50±0.25g/L)and was significantly different from that of control group(20 100±0.18g/L,P<0.05).Conclusion Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could beinduced into islet-like cells,and the blood and urine glucose values were decreased after the differentiated cells were transp lanted into the diabetes-model rats.