Objective        To determine the effect of the acellular scaffold of spinal cord on the rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) cultured in vitro and explore the best inoculation concentration.       Methods      SD rat BMSCs were separated

cultivated and identified. The obtained BMSCs were induced to differentiate into neurons. The acellular scaffold of s

pinal cord was prepared. The BMSCs at the third passage were co-cultured with the acellular scaffold of spinal cord. MTT assay was applied to assay the cell proliferation on the BMSCs cultured alone or on the scaffold. The BMSCs at the third passage at different concentrations (0.5

1

2

3

or 4×10

6

/mL) were seeded on the scaffolds (with spinal cord scaffolds trimmed as 0.5 cm small section). and then the cell adhesion rates and cell numbers on scaffolds were detected to establish a regression equation of inoculation concentration with cell adherence rate and cell numbers on scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to observe the shape of acellular scaffold of spinal cord and the adhesion between the cells and scaffold.       Results      BMSCs were successfully isolated and cultivated

with positive expression of CD29 and CD90 detected by     flow cytometry. After induction

the cells were positive to glial fibers acid protein (GFAP)and Nestin. Compared with the ordinary plates

BMSCs’ proliferation activity on scaffolds was obviously strengthened (

P

0.05). Cells adherence rate on scaffolds reached the highest level of (79.6±2.7)% when the cells were seeded at a density of 2×10

6

/mL on the bracket. The maximum cell number per unit volume scaffold  was（1.364±0.047）×10

6

/cm

3

. The adhesion of the cells on the scaffolds was very well under a scanning electron microscope. The number of co-cultivation cells was increased significantly in the third day than in the first.       Conclusion      The scaffold with multi-channel spatial structure is suitable for BMSCs adhesion

growth

and proliferation. So it is a good natural engineering material for spinal cord tissue. The best inoculation concentration is 2×10

6

/mL

with best adherence rate and largest cell numbers.