Objective To investigate the effect of dissociation of the human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells by ficoll hypaque gradient centrifugation.Methods The primary human RPE cells and subcultured human RPE cells were dissociated with ficoll gradient centrifugation solution (d=1.077 g/ml)and the same divid ed cells as the control were dissociated with routine normal culture medium cent rifugation. The Trypan blue (0.4%) rejection staining was used, and the mouse anti-human monoclonal anti-body and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled rabbit anti-mouse IgG were utilized for indirect immunoreactivity for the test of human cytokeratin (CK) in active RPE cells cytoplasm. Flow cytometry assay was used to analyzed the percentages of CK positive staining RPE cells. simultaneously, the cells configuration, growth condition, the rate of clone formation, and the purifying result were observed under the fluorescent and confocal microscope.Results The survival rate and positive rate of CK of RPE cells in experimental group were higher than those in the control（P＜0.001）, but the number of the cells was reduced. The cells in the experimental group were integrated round with smooth border, symmetrical staining, homogeneous configuration and higher rate of clone formation （P＜0.001）. Conclusions RPE cells disas sociated with ficoll gradient centrifugation have the better dissociation effects. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2003，19：333-404)