Theoretical and practical aspects of zinc uptake and absorption

The purpose of this review is to describe our present understanding of the theoretical aspects of zinc uptake and absorption. An attempt has been made to include a selected amount of older literature to illustrate specific points. The zinc acquisition system appears to respond to the dietary zinc supply and the extent of digestive capacity. Up regulation of the uptake process with limited zinc intake seems to increase the pool of zinc that is subsequently exported from mucosal cells to the vascular compartment. Intracellular factors such as metallothionein influence the rate and/or extent of zinc acquisition and are regulated by dietary zinc availability and physiological factors.