This study was aimed to investigate the enhancement of all-trans retinoic acid-induced HL-60 leukemia cell differentiation by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSC). The HL-60 cells were divided into 4 groups: control group (HL-60 cells treated without ATRA), hucMSC group (HL-60 cells co-cultured with hucMSCs), ATRA group (HL-60 cells treated with ATRA) and ATRA + hucMSC group (HL-60 cells treated with ATRA and co-cultured with hucMSCs). The proliferations of control group and hucMSC group were compared by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8). The morphology of HL-60 cells and NBT positive rate in 4 groups were observed and compared by means of microscopy, the c-myc expression of HL-60 cells in different groups was evaluated by real-time PCR, and the CD11b expression on HL-60 cells in different groups were detected by flow cytometry. The results showed that in the co-culturing system, hucMSCs could inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 (hucMSC:HL-60 is 1:1, 48 hours p < 0.05, 72 hours p < 0.01; hucMSC:HL-60 is 1:5, 72 hours p < 0.05). In condition of stimulation with 2 micromol/L ATRA, the neutrophil like HL-60 cells and NBT positive rate in ATRA + hucMSC group were higher than those in ATRA group (p < 0.05). The c-myc expression of HL-60 cells in ATRA + hucMSC group was lower than that in ATRA group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, HL-60 cells in ATRA + hucMSC group had stronger CD11b expression than ATRA group (48 hours p < 0.05, 72 hours p < 0.01). It is concluded that hucMSC not only can inhibit the proliferation of HL-60 cells, but also can enhance the differentiation effect of HL-60 cells induced by ATRA.