The self-renewal and multi-lineage developmental potential are the unique properties of human embryonic stem(ES) cells. The growth factors that maintain human or mouse embryonic stem cells are different. Leuckemia inhibitory factor(LIF) does not maintain self-renewal of human ES cells(hESCs). Recently, a few growth factors have been found to be biologically relevant for hESCs functions in vitro, among them the basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) is one of the most significant regulators of hESCs self-renewal. The purpose of this review is to introduce the recent progress in the research on the expressions of bFGF and its receptors and their functions in hESCs.