Role of zinc in eukaryotic cells, zinc transporters and zinc-containing proteins. Review article.

As a catalytic and/or structural cofactor for countless of zinc-dependent enzymes and proteins, zinc is an essential element for all organisms. This review summarizes the basics of human zinc physiology and biochemistry. The role of zinc in the regulation of gene expression and cellular signal transmission is described in more details. The present explosive growth of new knowledge about various biological roles of zinc will undoubtedly lead to the future development of new powerful drugs and to treatment of many diseases including cancer.