Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
13:04
Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Zinc and Metabolic Disease
Andrew G Hall1, Yasaman N Massih2, Janet C King2
11Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California, USA;
Annual Review of Nutrition
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Zinc is vital for metabolic processes and protein function. Metabolic diseases disrupt zinc balance, highlighting the need to understand zinc
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry and Metabolism
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Zinc is essential for protein structure, catalysis, and metabolic regulation.
- Plasma zinc levels fluctuate daily, interacting with cellular zinc.
- Zinc deficiency impacts child growth and immunity, but its role in metabolic disease is increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the connection between zinc and metabolic disease.
- To examine how metabolic disease affects zinc homeostasis.
- To identify future research directions for zinc metabolism in metabolic disease prevention and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and evidence synthesis.
- Analysis of existing research on zinc's role in metabolic pathways.
- Discussion of the interplay between metabolic disease progression and zinc balance.
Main Results:
- Zinc is crucial for numerous metabolic functions.
- Metabolic disease progression negatively impacts zinc homeostasis.
- Impaired protein-zinc binding and accelerated zinc loss are consequences of metabolic disease.
Conclusions:
- Zinc plays a critical, multifaceted role in metabolic health.
- Metabolic diseases disrupt zinc homeostasis, creating a detrimental cycle.
- Further research integrating zinc metabolism is vital for managing metabolic diseases.
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