To induce the growth and differentiation of dendritic cells (DCs) from human cord blood, CD34(+) cells isolated from human cord blood by mini-MACS were cultured in a liquid culture system with rhSCF, rhGM-CSF, rhTNF-alpha and rhFL for 10 days. Then the induced cells were characterized by DC's morphological and phenotypic properties. In addition, they stimulated the proliferation of allogeneic T cells and possessed an efficient capacity for initiating T cell-dependent antitumor immune responses in vitro. It is concluded that mature DCs could be obtained from human cord blood CD34(+) cells.