【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the expression of connexin 40 (Cx40) and hyperpolarization-activated cycl icnucleotide-gated cation channel 4 (HCN4) in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) cocultured with the sinoatrialnode (SAN) tissues in vitro, so as to evaluate the possibil ity of BMSCs differentiation into SAN cells. Methods BMSCs wereisolated from Sprague Dawley rats (aged 4-6 weeks, male or female) by the adhesive method and cultured; BMSCs at the 3rdpassage were marked with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester, and then were incubated on 6-well culture plate; cell climingsl ices were prepared at the same time. SAN tissue was taken and cut into 0.3 cm × 0.3 cm mass, and then placed into 4℃ PBSsolution. The SAN tissue mass was cocultured with marked BMSCs at the 3rd passage for 3 weeks as the experimental group, andBMSCs at 3rd passage were cultured alone for 1 week as the control group. At 1, 2, and 3 weeks after coculture, the mean integratedabsorbance (MIA) values of Cx40 and HCN4 were measured by Image pro plus 5.0 through the method of immunohistochemistry,and the mRNA expressions of Cx40 and HCN4 were identified by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Results TheMIA values of Cx40 and HCN4 in the experimental group were higher than that in the control group, showing significantdifferences (P lt; 0.01). In the experimental group, the expressions of Cx40 and HCN4 increased gradually with time. The longerthe culture time was, the higher the expressions of Cx40 and HCN4 were, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.05). The mRNAexpressions of Cx40 and HCN4 in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P lt; 0.01); inthe experimental group, the mRNA expressions of Cx40 and HCN4 increased gradually with time, showing significant differencesbetween different time points (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The expressions of Cx40 and HCN4 increase obviously after coculturingBMSCs with SAN tissue, indicating that BMSCs could differentiate into SAN cells by coculturing with SAN tissue in vitro.