In order to investigate the effect of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on chondrocyte proliferation cycle, we used flow-cytometry to assess the epiphyseal chondrocyte of embryonic chick femora which was cultured in free-serum media and treated with TGF-beta. The results showed that after treated with TGF-beta for 24 h, the proliferation indexes(PIs) of experimental groups(0.11 ng, 0.33 ng, 1.00 ng/ml) were lower than the PIs of the control groups, but the PI of 3.00 ng/ml group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.001). After treated for 48 h, except the 0.11 ng/ml group, the PIs of experimental groups were lower than those of the control (P < 0.001). And after treated for 96 h, the PIs of all groups were higher than those of the control; the PI of the 0.33 ng/ml group was the highest (P < 0.001). These suggest that after treated in varied time and dosage, the effect of TGF-beta on epiphyseal chondrocyte is obvious, and TGF-beta on epiphyseal chondrocyte is obvious, and TGF-beta can inhibit chondrocyte proliferation first, and then its effect on chondrocyte can transform from inhibition into proliferation.