Abstract： Objective To compare the differentiation potentials of bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) and adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) into neuron-like cells in vitro. Methods The fifth-passage of cultured adult SD rat BMSCs and ADSCs were induced with 10 ng/mL epidermal growth factor (EGF) and 20 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). After induction for 6, 12, 24, 72 h and 1 and 2 weeks, the cells were harvested to examine the expressions of the neural markers nestin and β-tubulin Ⅲ using immunohistoChEnistry and Western blot. Results Both the BMSCs and ADSCs underwent morphological changes into neuron-like cells and expressed the neuron-specific markers after the induction. The two cells exhibited significantly different positivity rates for nestin and β-tubulin Ⅲ after the induction (P<0.05). The ADSCs exhibited stronger ability than BMSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells shown by greater nestin and β-tubulin Ⅲ positivity rates after the induction. Conclusion ADSCs possess stronger capacity of induced differentiation into neuron-like ceils than BMSCs in in vitro culture.