Objective In vivo, the microenvironment of epidermal stem cells (ESCs) is complex, and estrogen might be involved in the micro environment. To investigate the biological effects of estrogen on the prol iferation and migration of ESCs in vitro. Methods hESCs were isolated from normal human foreskin and cultured. The second generation of hESCs were identified with flow cytometry after being marked with integrin β1, cytokeratin 19 (CK19), CK14, and CK10 antigens.hESCs of 2 × 106 cell density were cultured with ESCs special medium supplemented with 0.1 nmol/L Diethylstilbestrol in group A (estrogen group), with ESCs special medium supplemented with 10 nmol/L Raloxifene hydrochloride in group B (ER blocking agent group), and with ESCs special medium in group C (control group), respectively. The 100 μm “scratch” wounds were created by scraping confluent hESCs plated on Petri dishes with a sterile pipette tip in vitro. The migrating cells from the wound edge were quantified at 24, 48, and 72 hours after incubation. The rates of wound heal ing were calculated by SigmaScan Pro 5.0 software at 72 hours. The prol iferating effect of estrogen on hESCs was determined with MTT method at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours. Results Cultured primary hESCs could adhere to the wall showing ovoid in shape and grew into colonies. Flow cytometry showed the positive results for integrin β1, CK19, and CK14 (with positive rate of 96.63%, 95.47%, and 94.27%, respectively) and the negative result for CK10 (with positive rate of 1.32%). In group A, the number of cells crossing the wound edge was more than those of group B and group C at 24, 48, and 72 hours. The rates of wound heal ing were 69.00% ± 0.05% in group A, 35.00% ± 0.05% in group B, and 48.00% ± 0.06% in group C at 72 hours, showing significant differences among groups (P lt; 0.05). The prol iferating speed of hESCs was significantly higher in group A than in groups B and C (P lt; 0.01), and significantly higher in group C than in group B (P lt; 0.01) at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours. Conclusion The estrogen can promote the prol iferation and migration of hESCs in vitro. It may be involved in many biological activity of skin.