The in vitro cytocompatibility response of bioresourced hydroxyapatite (HA) containing silver nanoparticles was investigated. The morphology, structure and thermal properties of the HA containing Ag nanoparticles were characterised using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the HA powder has nearly uniform shape with spherical morphology and highly dispersed with diameter in the range of 800-2000 nm. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the Ag nanoparticles were incorporated into the HA powder very well. The adhesion, viability and proliferation properties of HA containing Ag nanoparticles and the differentiation of osteoblast were performed to evaluate the in vitro cell compatibility of the HA containing Ag nanoparticles. Our results showed that HA containing Ag nanoparticles were cytotoxic to human osteoblastic cells. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd. 2012.