Transplantation　of　bone　marrow　mesenchymal　stem　cells　(BMSCs)　is　a　promising　approach　for　treatment　of　epilepsy.　To　our　knowledge,　there　is　little　research　on　magnetic　resonance　imaging　(MRI)　tracking　of　BMSCs　labeled　with　ultrasmall　superparamagnetic　iron　oxide　(USPIO)　nanoparticles　in　a　rat　model　of　temporal　lobe　epilepsy　(TLE).　In　this　study,　BMSCs　were　pre-labeled　with　USPIO　nanoparticles,　and　then　the　cell　apoptosis,　proliferation,　surface　antigens,　and　multipotency　were　investigated.　Lithium　chloride-pilocarpine　induced　TLE　models　were　administered　by　USPIO-labeled　BMSCs　(U-BMSCs),　BMSCs,　and　saline　through　lateral　ventricle　injection　as　the　experimental　group,　control　I　group　and　control　II　group,　respectively,　followed　by　MRI　examination,　electroencephalography　(EEG)　and　Prussian　blue　staining.　The　cell　experimental　results　showed　that　the　labeled　USPIO　did　not　affect　the　biological　characteristics　and　multiple　potential　of　BMSCs.　The　U-BMSCs　can　be　detected　using　MRI　in　vitro　and　in　vivo,　and　observed　in　the　hippocampus　and　adjacent　parahippocampal　cortical　areas　of　the　epileptic　model.　Moreover,　electroencephalographic　results　showed　that　transplanted　U-BMSCs,　as　well　as　BMSCs,　were　capable　of　reducing　the　number　of　epileptiform　waves　significantly　(P＜0.01)　compared　with　control　II　group.　All　of　these　findings　suggest　that　it　is　feasible　to　track　transplanted　BMSCs　using　MRI　in　a　rat　model　of　TLE,　and　support　that　USPIO　labeling　is　a　valuable　tool　for　cell　tracking　in　the　study　of　seizure　disorders.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　Ireland　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.