Objective  To observe the localization of NG2 positive cells and morphological character in the brain of adult rats.   Methods  Immunohistochemical method was applied to determine the expression of NG2 positive cells in the cerebrum cortex

hippocampus

dentate gyrus

thalamencephalon and hypothalamus of adult rats. Image analysis program Image Pro Plus 5.0 was used to count the positive cells and for statistic analysis.   Results  NG2 positive cells were strongly expressed in multiple brain regions of adult rats

of which strongest signals were centralized in gray and white matter of cerebral cortex

hippocampus

dentate gyrus

thalamic subventricular zone and hypothalamic periventricular region. The NG2 positive cells were seen with abundant process arborization which bifurcated two or more times. The soma of NG2 positive cell displays a star-like morphology with different shapes in the gray and white matter of cerebrum cortex.   Conclusion  NG2 positive cells are numerous in adult rat brain and display the special glial with a stellate morphology.