Zinc metabolism in humans: a kinetic model.

A quantitative model is developed that describes the kinetics of the early phases of zinc metabolism in humans. The model is based on averaged data obtained over 5 days from 17 atients with smell and/or taste dysfunction who were given 69mZn in trace amounts orally and intravenously. A function describing the rate of entry of 69mZn into systemic plasma following ingestion of the isotope is derived showing that about 37% of the ingested zinc enters plasma. Gastrointestinal absorption is essentially completed by 4 h. Sixty-seven percent of the absorbed zinc in the portal circulation is extracted by the liver before being released into the systemic circulation and agrees with the calculated extraction efficiency from the systemic circulation. There are both rapid and slow exchnage phases between plasma and liver and between plasma and red cells. The calculated steady-state zinc values for plasma, red cells, and liver agree with previously reported measured values implying there are no additional zinc pools in these tissues. The tracer data, however, account for only 10% of total body zinc, the remaining 90% in tissues whose kinetics are too slow to be resolved from a 5-day study.