Zinc transporter protein

Zinc transporter proteins (Zrt), or simply zinc transporters, are membrane transport proteins of the solute carrier family which control the membrane transport of zinc and regulate its intracellular and cytoplasmic concentrations.[1] They include two major groups: (1) the zinc transporter (ZnT) or solute carrier 30 (SLC30) family, which controls the efflux of zinc from the cytoplasm out of the cell and from the cytoplasm into vesicles; and (2) the zinc importer, Zrt- and Irt-like protein (ZIP), or solute carrier 39A (SLC39A) family, which controls the influx of zinc into the cytoplasm from outside the cell and from vesicles.[1]

At least one zinc transporter, ZIP9, is also a G protein-coupled receptor and membrane androgen receptor.[2]

  1. ^ a b Hara T, Takeda TA, Takagishi T, Fukue K, Kambe T, Fukada T (March 2017). "Physiological roles of zinc transporters: molecular and genetic importance in zinc homeostasis". The Journal of Physiological Sciences. 67 (2): 283–301. doi:10.1007/s12576-017-0521-4. PMC 10717645. PMID 28130681.
  2. ^ Thomas P, Converse A, Berg HA (February 2018). "ZIP9, a novel membrane androgen receptor and zinc transporter protein". General and Comparative Endocrinology. 257: 130–136. doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.04.016. PMID 28479083.