Abstract: Objective: To investigate a practical method to culture the neural precursor cells from hippocampus of neonatal Wester rats,and to study the effects of propofol on its proliferation.Methods: Hippocampus precursor cells cultured in vitro were identified with immunocytochemistry methods.Meanwhile,MTT method and ³H-TdR absorption were detected to determine the propofol effects on the precursor cells’ proliferation.Results: With the presence of epidermal growth factor（EGF） and basic fibroblast growth factor（bFGF） in the medium,the cells isolated from the newborn rats’ hippocampus could continuously proliferate and form into cell clones（neurospheres）.Furthermore,the neurospheres could express the neuroepithelial stem cell protein（nidogen）,and bromodeoxyoridine（BrdU）,which given exogenously,could be tracked in the neurospheres.Contrasting to the intralipid group,the A_570nm value and the ³H-TdR absorption increased with the treatment of low concentration propofol(（0.5 μmol）·L^-1、 2.5 μmol·L^-1).Conclusion: The cells obtained and cultured by this method process the property of the neural precursor cells.Low concentration of propofol can enhance the proliferation of hippocampus neural precursor cells.