ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the expressions of B-cell-specific monoclonal leukemia virus insert site 1 (Bmi1) and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) genes and the proliferative capacity of stem cells. MethodsCord blood CD34+ cells were cultured in IMDM medium containing fetal bovine serum, stem cell growth factor, thrombopoietin, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand during a 28-day ex vivo expansion process, while the expansion fold, specific growth rate, and the colony-forming efficiency were monitored. Then the Bmi1 and hTERT mRNA expressions in CD34+ cells were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the relations between the expressions and the cell proliferative capacity were analyzed. ResultsCD34+ cells expanded (20.1 ± 3.5) folds during the 28-day culture, while the proportion declined from 95.5% ± 2.6% before culture to 2.1% ± 0.4%. Both the specific growth rate and colony-forming efficiency of CD34+ cells declined significantly after 7 days, while the expression levels of Bmi1 and hTERT mRNA in CD34+ cells reached top at 7 days and declined gradually thereafter. ConclusionThe expressions of Bmi1 and hTERT genes may have a close relation to the proliferative capacity of CD34+ cells.