The　aim　of　this　Letter　is　to　investigate　the　feasibility　of　isolated　tracheal　chondrocytes　on　a　novel-type　nanocomposite　scaffold　for　application　to　cartilage　regeneration.　The　scaffold　was　based　on　biocompatible　N-carboxyethylchitosan　containing　hydroxyapatite　nanoparticles　(NCECS/nHA).　NCECS/nHA　nanocomposite　scaffold　was　fabricated　by　vacuum　freeze-drying.　Tracheal　cartilage　segments　from　a　8-week-old　New　Zealand　white　rabbit　were　chopped　into　small　1　x　1　x　1　mm(3)　blocks.　Following　type　II　collagenase　digestion,　chondrocytes　at　passage　3　were　seeded　onto　three-dimensional　porous　NCECS/nHA　scaffolds.　These　cell-scaffold　constructs　were　precultured　in　the　incubator　for　5　days　and　then　subcutaneously　implanted　into　nude　mice　for　in　vivo　culture.　After　8　weeks,　explanted　constructs　were　harvested　and　dedicated　for　histomorphologic　and　biochemical　assays.　The　pore　size　of　NCECS/nHA　nanocomposite　scaffold　ranged　from　200　to　500　mu　m.　The　porosity　was　＞85%.　The　chondrocytes　cultured　in　this　scaffold　produced　cartilaginous　matrices.　Immunohistochemical　staining　for　type　II　collagen　revealed　that　chondrocytes　exhibited　dark　brown　cytoplasm.　After　8-week　in　vivo　culture,　the　neonatal　cartilage-like　tissue　exhibited　histomorphological　and　biochemical　characteristics　similar　to　that　of　mature　hyaline　cartilage.　These　results　demonstrated　that　NCECS/nHA　facilitated　the　adhesion　and　viability　of　chondrocytes,　and　therefore　allowed　the　authors　to　make　further　improvement　by　applying　tissue-engineering　methods　to　regenerate　tracheas　for　clinical　use.