Hydroxyapatite　(HAP)　precursor　solution　was　first　mixed　with　an　acetic　acid　chitosan　(CS)　solution.　The　mixture　was　then　lyophilized　to　form　the　original　scaffold,　which　stored　the　HAP　precursors.　The　nano　HAP　crystallized　homogeneously　from　the　CS　matrix　during　the　alkaline　treatment　to　form　a　nanohybrid　scaffold.　Scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM).　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS)　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(MR)　were　used　to　investigate　the　fabrication　process　of　the　nanohybrid　scaffold.　XRD　results　showed　that　the　in　situ　deposited　mineral　(HAP)　in　the　scaffold　has　phase　structure　similar　to　natural　bone.　FTIR　and　XPS　results　indicated　that　CS＇s　hydroxyl　group,　amino　and　amide　regulated　the　nano　HAP　crystallization　process,　which　resulted　in　the　nano　homogeneous　distribution　of　nano　HAP　and　provided　nano　topographical　features　for　the　nanohybrid　scaffold.　MU　testing　and　SEM　images　of　human　bone　mesenchymal　stem　cells　(hBMSCs)　cultures　revealed　the　attachment　and　growth　of　hBMSCs　in　the　biocomposite　scaffold.　Cell　morphology　and　viability　data　showed　that　the　nanohybrid　composite　scaffold　is　suitable　for　use　in　bioapplications.　Crown　Copyright　(C)　2010　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.