Abstract: Acute tubular necrosis animal models were established by subcutaneous injection of gentamicin（GM） 400 mg/kg/day for 2 days in adult Wistar rats and the effects of recombinant human epidermal growth factor （rhEGF） on the renal function and histology were observed. On 5^th day after the first GM exposure，epithelial cells of proximal tubules were diffusely necrotic and then gradually recovered to normal on 21 th day. Renal function values of EGF-treated animals returned to normal 7 days earlier than that of GM-treated animals. At the early stage of renal injury,the histological changes were not different from each other. When examined at days 11 and 15，kidneys from rats that received rhEGF were improved in histopahtological appearances compared with those from GM-treated animals. These results suggests that the rhEGF enhances re-nal tubular repair and accelerates the recovery of renal function in a model of gentamicin nepro-toxicity in rats，and the effects of rhEGF are related with a certain degree of injury of the models and its dosage.

Key words: Epidermal Growth Factor, Acute Tubular Necrosis, Gentamicin, Rat