Bone　marrow　mesenchymal　stem　cells　(BMSCs)　can　be　induced　to　differentiate　into　neuron-like　cells　under　appropriate　conditions　often　involving　toxic　reagents　that　are　not　applicable　for　clinical　transplantation.　The　present　study　investigated　whether　tea　polyphenol　(FP),　a　native　nontoxic　antioxidant,　could　induce　mouse　neuron-like　cell　differentiation　of　BMSCs　in　vitro.　BMSCs,　dissected　from　mouse　femur　bone　marrow,　were　amplified　in　culture　and　treated　with　TP　or　beta-mercaptoethanol　(BME,　control).　Morphological　changes　were　observed　under　light　microscopy.　After　12　h　treatment　with　50　mu　g/ml　TP　or　5　mM　BME,　most　cells　differentiated　into　neuron-like　cells　exhibiting　neuronal　morphological　characteristics,　cellular　shrinkage　and　neurite　growth.　Immunocytochemistry　and　reverse　transcription　(RT)-PCR　results　demonstrated　neuronal　marker　expression　in　the　induced　cells　with　no　glial　fibrillary　acidic　protein　expression.　Taken　together,　TP　induced　mouse　BMSCs　to　differentiate　into　neuron-like　cells　in　vitro.　These　findings　provide　a　potential　source　for　the　treatment　of　various　neurological　diseases.