Controlled release behaviours of nifedipine loaded poly (D,L-lactide) (PLA) and poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres are investigated and modelled in this paper. Based on the integrated consideration of diffusion, finite dissolution rate, moving front of dissolution and size distribution of microspheres, a mathematic model is presented to quantitatively describe the drug release kinetics. The coupled partial differential equations are numerically solved. Dynamic concentration profiles of both dissolved and undissolved drug in the microspheres are analyzed. In comparison with the diffusion model and Higuchi model, the proposed dissolution-diffusion model is characteristic of describing the whole release process without limitation of different dissolution rate or dissolubility. The diffusion coefficient and the dissolution rate constants are evaluated from measured release profiles. The effects of microstructures of polymer microspheres on release behaviours are related to parameters of the model. Based on the mathematical model and in vitro release data, intrinsic mass transfer mechanism is further investigated.