Objective: To investigate the optimal gene transfer protocols of hematopoietic cells mediated by retrovirus. Methods: Murine bone marrow cells were infected by co-culture with murine bone marrow stromal cell line TC-1 or retro-virus packaging cells or retrovirus supernatant. Human mdr-1 and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) were used as report genes. Results: Stromal cells could greatly increase the gene transfer efficiency when compared with that of supernatant transfection. Transduction efficiency was highest when infected BM cells were co-cultured with virus producer cells. Conculsion: It may be clinically feasible in gene therapy to perform retroviral transduction by co-culture of target cells with stromal cells or cell lines.