A successful method for fabrication of electrospun hydroxyapatite (HAp) coated cellulose nanofiber scaffold (HAp/CMC) for tissue engineering is reported. The cellulose acetate nanofibers (CANFs) were deacetylated to produce cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) which were subsequently converted to sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (Na-CMC). The Na-CMC nanofibers mat was then coated with HAp for bone regeneration applications. The FTIR results confirmed conversion of CANFs to CNFs and CNFs to Na-CMC. HAp nanocrystal growth was observed in SEM images, with crystal becoming minute and numerous upon increasing HCO3- in the simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. The proliferation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells on HAp-coated CMC nanofiber mat was observed to increase with seeding time. The results confirm suitability of the HAp/CMC nanofiber mat for bone regeneration. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.