Objective To explore the effect of lipopolysaccharide（ LPS） on apoptosis and viability of astrocytes， and to establish an activated astrocyte model. Methods High purity astrocytes were obtained from the brain of 1-day-old rats（ P1）. The astrocytes were inoculated on the culture plates and treated with LPS（ 1 μg/ml） for 24 to 72 hours. According to the experimental requirements， apoptosis was detected using TUNNEL separately in LPS-24 h， control-24 h， LPS-72 h， control-72 h， and then apoptosis rates were calculated； while viability was detected using MTT separately in LPS-0 h， LPS-24 h， and LPS-72 h. Astrocytes were treated with GFAP immunohistochemistry in LPS treatment group and control group. Results The apoptosis rate was（ 7.00±2.23）% in LPS-24 h group and（ 3.26±1.22）% in control-24 h group， and there was no significant difference between the two groups（ P＞0.05）； the apoptosis rate was（ 36.40±5.32）% in LPS-72 h group and（ 4.00±1.59）% in control-72 h group， and the difference was statistically significant（ P ＜ 0.05）； the viability of astrocyte was（ 100.23±5.34）%，（ 91.42±9.88）%，（ 51.21±4.58）% separately in LPS-0 h group， LPS-24 h group， and LPS-72 h group. There was significant difference between LPS-72 h group and other two groups（ P＜ 0.05）. After 24 hours of LPS intervention， astrocytes proliferated， enlarged， and their processes increased. Conclusions Treated with LPS（ 1 μg/ml） for 24 hours， astrocytes did not show obvious apoptosis and decreased viability， but showed activation in morphology. A model of activated astrocytes might be established.