Objective To cultivate human retinal capillary endothelial cells (HRECs) and establish two-dimensional model of human retinal vessels in vitro. Methods In a fibronectincoated raising pound, HRECs were cultured by non-serum human-endothelial-cells substrate and two-dimensional model of human retinal vessels was established. Horseradish peroxidase was used to detect the permeability. Some of the vascular models were cultivated with 5 ng/ml vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), whose changes of permeability was compared with which of the models without cultivation with VEGF. The effect of VEGF on vascular permeability was observed. Results Meshy vascular structure came into being due to the confluent HRECs after 2 to 4 days. Comparatively complete two-dimensional vascular model after about 6 days. VEGF increased vascular permeability and promoted the formation of blood vessels. Conclusion HRECs can be cultivated successfully with human-endothelial-cells substrate; standard retinal two-dimensional vascular model in vitro can be established by using cellular raising pound and non-serum human-endothelial-cells substrate. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 110-112)