Abstract: Glucocorticoid(GC) /glucocorticoid receptor (GR) inhibits cell proliferation and protects cells from apoptosis induced by serum deprivation, hypoxia , irradiation or chemotherapy drugs in many types of cell, thereby GC/GR can maintenance of cell number homeostasis, which is important aspect of homeostasis regulation of GC/GR in higher organisms. This article reviews antiproliferative and antiapoptotic effects of GC/GR on cell and their molecular mechanism, mainly focusing on the molecular events and target genes downstream of GC/GR.