Bone healing plays an important role in orthognathic and craniofacial surgery. Bone tissue repair and regeneration are regulated by an array of growth and morphogenetic factors. Bone formation and remodeling require continuous generation of osteoprogenitor cells from bone marrow stromal cells, which generate and respond to a variety of growth factors with putative roles in hematopoiesis and mesenchymal differentiation. In this study, the efficacy of a single application of hepatocyte growth factor to promote bone regeneration in 5-mm experimental calvarial defects of adult male rats was assessed histologically and immunohistochemically. The result of the experimental site were compared with those of the contralateral contral side. None of the control and experimental bone defects demonstrated complete bone closure. Bone regeneration was found close th the margine and central part of the defects. At 1, 2 weeks, there were found much significant cellural mitotic activity and many inflammatory cells and osteoblasts on the experimental site than control site. At 4, 6 weeks, new bone apposition was founded in both site but, more apposition was seen at experimental site. At 8, 12 weeks, also, some differences was found that more apposition of new bone and collagen fiber was seen on experimental site. Our results have some possibility that HGF do a early positive role to repair the bone defect. More study will be needed.