INVITRO EXCHANGEABLE ERYTHROCYTIC ZINC

Exchangeable erythrocytic zinc is measured by65Zn uptake in and release from erythrocytes under standarized and near, physiological conditions: 7.6 μM zinc and 580 μM albumin in the medium. The intracellular exchangeable erythrocytic zinc pool in healthy volunteers amounts to 5 μmol zinc/L packed cells. The half-time of the exchange is 7 h, its activation energy 84 kJ/mol. The effects of the variation in temperature and the concentrations of albumin, as well as the effects of some zinc carriers, cell transport inhibitors, and stress hormones on the65Zn uptake are measured. © 1990 Humana Press Inc.