Objective To observe the biological function of HGF on the proliferation, migration and adhering of EPCs cultured in vitro from patients with CHD, and provide the foundation for the application of hepatocyte growth factor in the therapy of CHD. Methods The serum level of HGF was assayed by ELISA. The mononuclear cells (MNCs) of CHD patients were harvested by density gradient centrifugation and the number of EPCs were detected by flow cytometry. The proliferation, migration and adhering abilities of EPCs under the effect of rhHGF were measured by MTT assay, Transwell chamber and adhesion determination experiment, respectively. The non-CHD patients with similar conditions were served as control. Results Compared with non-CHD patients, the number of EPCs in peripheral blood of CHD patients decreased while serum level of HGF increased (P<0.01), and the proliferation, migration and adhesion abilities of EPCs in CHD patients obviously decreased (P <0.05). In CHD group, rhHGF could efficiently improve the proliferation, migration and adhesion abilities of EPCs in rhHGF subgroup compared with non-rhHGF subgroup(P <0.05), however in non-CHD group, rhHGF only could promote EPCs proliferation, and there was no difference with rhHGF effecting on migration and adhesion of EPCs between rhHGF subgroup and non-rhHGF subgroup (P>0.05). Conclusion HGF can improve the biological function of EPCs in CHD patients which can be applied to the treatment of CHD patients.