Abstract: Objective The influence of microwave radiation in the proliferation and differentiation of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were investigated. Methods The SH-SY5Y cells were radiated for 5 minutes by 0(the control group),10,30,50 mW/cm² of microwave .The prolife ration rates were counted by trypan blue staining.After the cells were induced by 20 μmol/L all-trans retinoic acid(ATRA) in the dark 72 h，the differentiation rates were calculated under the light microscope.The cell cycles were analyzed by flow cytometry(FCM).The expressions of NF-H proteins were detected by Western blotting. Results The proliferation rates of SH-SY5Y cells were reduced gradually with the increases of microwave radiation intensity.Compared with control group，the proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells were significantly inhibited in 10，30，50 mW/cm2 radiation group respectively at 72，48 and 12 h after microwave radiation.After the cells were induced 72 h by 20 μmol/L ATRA，the numbers of differentiated cells of 30，50 mW/cm2 radiation groups were less than control group，and the cell axons of various radiation groups were shorter than control group.With the increase of radiation intensity，microwave increased the proportion of SH-SY5Y cells in G₀/G₁ phase，and decreased the proportion in the S phase.The proportion of SH-SY5Y cells in G₂+M phase cells was unchanged.After microwave radiation，the expressions of NF-H protein were not changed，but the expressions of phosphorylated NF-H proteins were decreased gradually. Conclusion The proliferation and differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells can be inhibited by microwave radiation in an obvious dose-dependent manner.Cell cycle progression was blocked in the G₀/G₁ phase.Microwave had no effect on the expression of NF-H in SH-SY5Y cells，but could inhibit NF-H phosphorylation significantly.