In vitro exchangeable erythrocytic zinc.

Exchangeable erythrocytic zinc is measured by 65Zn uptake in and release from erythrocytes under standardized and near, physiological conditions: 7.6 microM zinc and 580 microM albumin in the medium. The intracellular exchangeable erythrocytic zinc pool in healthy volunteers amounts to 5 mumol 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 the 65Zn uptake are measured.