Abstract
Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a pivotal role as a structural, catalytic, and signaling component within protein functions. Adequate intake of zinc from daily diets is indispensable for maintaining health. However, recent studies have revealed that people, especially women and elders, with marginal zinc deficiency and a suboptimal zinc status, which causes taste dysfunction and immune system dysfunction, are often found even in industrialized countries. Severe zinc deficiency causes a broad range of defects such as alopecia, diarrhea, and skin lesions. Thus, much attention should be paid to zinc deficiency in daily life. In this review, zinc deficiency is briefly overviewed from the standpoint of zinc physiology, focusing on the physiological functions of zinc transporters. Moreover, mutations in zinc transporters, which are implicated in inherited zinc deficiency, are discussed. The study of these zinc transporters is currently of great clinical interest.
