Object : Glioma of central nervous system is the most common primary brain tumor. Despite the multimodal treatment including operation, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, the prognosis of the patients with glioma is very poor due to invasive growth of the tumor. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP?2 and MMP?9 have been known to play an important role in cell invasion of gliomas. The aim of this study was to produce the experimental primary malignant brain tumor model using C6 glioma cell in rats, and to investigate the expression of MMP?2 and MMP?9 in this model. Materials and Methods : The author implanted C6 glioma cells into the brain of male Sprague?Dawley rats, weighing between 250 and 300 g (aged 7 weeks). Animals for the control group model were received 5 ┢l of phosphate?buffered saline instead of C6 cell implantation. The development of tumor was investigated by gross and microscopic findings. Tumor volumes were measured at various times from 1 week to 3 week after surgery. The expression of MMP?2 and MMP?9 were investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Behavioral changes were assessed by rotarod test at 7, 14, and 21 days after cell implantation. The relationship between the tumor volumes and the behavioral changes was analysed. Results : Grossly, the lesion was observed in cerebral cortex at 1 week after tumor cell implantation. In hematoxylin?eosin (H&E) staining, increased cellularity and cellular atypia were observed in the section of C6 cell implanted brain. IHC study revealed the increased expression of MMP?2 and MMP?9 in the newly?formed lesion compared to the brain of control group. Estimated tumor volumes were increased time dependently. The behavioral test showed that the rotarod performance in the rats of C6 cell implantation was impaired as time goes by. There were significant relationship between the tumor volumes and behavioral changes. However, there were no significant correlations between the increase of tumor volume and decline of behavioral changes. Conclusion : This study showed the successful development of experimental primary glioma model using C6 glioma cell implantation in rats. This model provides an effective model that could be used for evaluating the biologic features of glioma and investigating various treatment modality in future.