Objective To study the influence and possible mechanism of nestin overexpression on the partial hepatectomy regeneration and proliferation capacity in mice. Methods In order to confirm the overexpression status,the expression levels of nestin in liver was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR,Western blot and immunohistochemistry.Then,The difference of proliferation index in wild type mice and transgenic mice liver was detected by Brdu label,the mice were divided into 3 groups(in the resting state,24hours later of liver subtotal nephrectomy,72hours later of liver subtotal nephrectomy). Results Fluorescence quantitative PCR,Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed overexpression of nestin in the liver of the transgenic mice.In the resting state,Brdu labelling index is almost zero both in the transgenic mice and the wild type mice,showing no difference between them;However,in the case of partial hepatectomy,more cells in the transgenic mice enter into proliferation status,suggesting that overexpression of nestin enhanced the regeneration and proliferation capacity of the liver cells in the transgenic mice when compared to the wild type(24hours later:t=2.996,P=0.024;72hours later:t=2.915,P=0.027). Conclusion Nestin overexpression had no effect on the liver proliferation in the resting state,but can increase the proliferative capacity in the case of partial hepatectomy(PH).This indicate that Nestin overexpression had no obvious effect on quiescent cell,but in some pathological changes or stimulus state,nestin can increase the proliferation of cells through promote the formation of DNA.