To protect liver function, we used the cirrhotic rats to study whether the postshunt intrahepatic transplantation of hepatocytes and insular cells via hepatic artery can improve liver function.We irrigated the cirrhotic liver of rat via hepatic artery with hepatocytes and insular cells and observed the influence of this method on liver function.The improvement of TP, ALB and TBIL in the experimental group were significant, and there was significant difference in these parameters between the experimental and control groups (P < 0.01). Light microscopic examination of liver fibrosis and immunohistochemistry and data analysis of I, II collagens also showed significant difference (P < 0.05).The intrahepatic transplantation of hepatocytes and insular cells via hepatic artery can not only improve liver function, but also increase the degradation of liver collagens and reverse the course of liver cirrhosis.