Objective To explore the relationship between the expression of BMP-7 in the hepatic tissue and hepatic fibrosis in rat hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl-4. Methods Healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group and the hepatic fibrosis group. The control group was subcutaneously injected with oily solution of 0.12ml per 100 grams of rat weight every monday and thursday; the hepatic fibrosis group was subcutaneously injected with 60% carbon tetrachloride oily solution of 0.3ml per 100 grams of rat weight every monday and thursday. Rats were continuously injected for 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 16 weeks and 21weeks respectively. When the experiment ended, all the rats were killed. The hepatic middle lobule was taken and embedded with paraffin. Collagen fibers in the hepatic tissue were detected by Sirius red staining. The expression of BMP-7 in the hepatic tissue was detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. Results In the rat hepatic tissue, there were few collagen fibers in portal veins and the portal area in the control group. Proliferation of collagen fibers could be observed in each rat of the hepatic fibrosis group and hepatic fibrosis was aggravated with the lasting of the experiment. In immunohistochemical staining, several BMP-7 positive cells were observed in the rat livers of the control group; many BMP-7 positive cells were observed in the 6-week group. The expression of BMP-7 positive cells gradually decreased after 10 weeks,and they were seldom seen in the 21-week group. The Western blotting results were basically the same as those of immunohistochemical staining.Conclusion In rat hepatic fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride, the expression of BMP-7 in the hepatic tissue was opposite to that in the hepatic fibrosis. BMP-7 can protect the hepatic fibrosis to some degree.