Objective To investigate the effect of bFGF on denervated skeletal muscle in accelerating muscle satell ite cell prol iferation, supplying neurotrophic factors and reducing muscle atrophy. Methods Twenty-eight Wistar male rats weredivided into the experimental group and the control group randomly, whose left lower l imb sciatic nerve was excised to make animal models of denervated skeletal muscle. The sil ia gel tubes containing 0.1 g bFGF and normal sal ine were implanted into gastrocnemius in the experimental and control groups, respectively. After 14 and 30 days of operation, gross appearance was observed; muscle wet weight and potential ampl itude of gastrocnemius fibrillation were measured; histological observation and electron microscope observation were made. Results At 14 and 30 days after operation, gastrocnemius atrophy and adhesion were more obvious in the control group than those in the experimental group. At 30 days after operation, the potential amplitude of gastrocnemius fibrillation and muscle wet weight were experimental group (0.220 6 ± 0.301 0) μm and (2.475 7 ± 0.254 6) g in the experimental group, and (0.155 2 ± 0.050 3) μm and (1.459 1 ± 0.642 5) g in the control group. There was a significant difference between two groups (P lt; 0.05). At 14 and 30 days after operation, HE staining showed more muscle satell ite cell nucleiin gastrocnemius of the experimental group than that of the control group; Mallory staining showed more blue connective tissues in the control group than in the experimental group; PCNA staining showed more PCNA positive cell nuclei in the experimental group than in the control group; and the AgNO3 staining testified more grains of vitamin C and less connective tissue proliferation in the experimental group than in the control group. At 30 days after operation, the fiber diameter and the fiber area were (66.368 6 ± 12.672 7) μm and (2 096.112 9 ± 311.563 9) μm2 in the experimental group, (55.504 0 ± 4.945 0) μm and (1 418.068 0 ± 264.953 7) μm2 in the control group. The PCNA positive cell nuclei number was 116.200 ± 5.357 in the experimental group and 53.000 ± 3.937 in the control group, showing statistically significant difference between the two groups (P lt; 0.05). At 14 and 30 day after operation, ompared with control group, the muscle fiber in the experimental group arrangedly more regularly and had lessatrophy fiber and the connective tissue proliferation. Conclusion bFGF can stimulate the proliferation of muscle satell ite cells in denervated gastrocnemius, delay the muscle fiber atrophy and inhibit connective tissues proliferation in muscle fibers.