Authors: Alexandre Bouron Johannes Oberwinkler
Publish Date: 2013/05/30
Volume: 466, Issue: 3, Pages: 381-387
Abstract
Zinc Zn is a vital nutrient participating in a myriad of biological processes The mechanisms controlling its transport through the plasma membrane are far from being completely understood Two families of eukaryotic zinc transporters are known to date the Zip SLC39 and ZnT SLC30 proteins In addition some types of plasmalemmal calcium Caconducting channels are implied in the cellular uptake of zinc These ion channels are currently described as systems dedicated to the transport of Ca and to some extent sodium Na ions However a growing body of evidence supports the view that some of them can also function as pathways for Zn transport For instance voltagegated Ca channels and some types of glutamategated receptors have long been known to allow the entry of Zn More recently members of the TRP superfamily another type of Caconducting channels have been shown to permit the uptake of Zn into eukaryotic cells The aim of this review article is to present the current knowledge supporting the notion that Caconducting channels take part in the plasmalemmal transport of Zn
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