Determine Functions of Zinc in the Body?
Zinc is an essential component of a large number of enzymes participating in the synthesis and degradation of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, as well as, in the metabolism of other micronutrients. Zinc stabilizes the molecular structure of cellular components and membranes and in this way contributes to the maintenance of cell and organ integrity.
Furthermore, zinc has an essential role in polynucleotide transcription and thus, in the process of genetic expression. Zinc also plays a central role in the immune system, affecting a number of aspects of cellular and humoral immunity. Shankar and Prasad have reviewed the role of zinc in immunity extensively. Its involvement ill such fundamental activities probably accounts for the essentiality of zinc for all life forms. These divergent functions of zinc in the body can be grouped into three categories namely, catalytic, structural and regulatory.