To study the biocompatibility of the titanium dental implant surfaces coated with nacre in vitro, osteoblast-like cells ( MC3T3E1) growth on the substrates coated with nacre were compared with that growth on the substrates coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) or nothing and the cells of the blank. MC3T3E1 were incubated on the respective surface for 3days, 5days and 7 days. Cell morphology was estimated by inverted phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and cell proliferation was measured by flowcytometry. The King's chromometry was used for measuring the activity of ALP in the cell lysate and the expression of TGF-β1 was detected by Western blotting. The results showed that MC3T3E1 cultured on the nacre-coated surface were more spreaded and plumper than the controls on the 3days, 5days and 7days of culture. Meanwhile, the test group showed a superiority to control groups and blank with respects to the cell proliferation index[(35.9±2.5)%, (69.7±3.3)% , (58.2±2.6)%], ALP activity [(6.123±2.917), (17.486±1.986), (23.987±1.372) U/g] and TGF-β1 level. In conclusion, the surface coated nacre can promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast, which the mechanism partly may be the increasing expression of TGF-β1.