Zinc uptake by human erythrocytes with and without serum albumins in the medium

Different mechanisms of Zn uptake are present in mammalian cells. The variations in the Zn uptake by human erythrocytes in the absence and presence of albumins, bovine and human, as well as the differences of Zn uptake with and without 4-4′-diidothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid have been analyzed in this study. The results show a significantly greater rate of Zn uptake in the absence rather than in the presence of albumins in the extracellular medium and being significantly greater with bovine than with human serum albumin when the experiments were performed in media with equimolar concentrations of Zn. However, when comparing Zn uptake in a medium without albumin with similar free-Zn concentration to Zn ultrafiltrable (20%) of other one with albumin, a significantly greater Zn uptake on the latter was observed. The DIDS inhibition on Zn uptake is higher if the albumin is also present in the medium. These results suggest that in Zn uptake by erythrocytes the albumin directly or indirectly would be involved, facilitating the well-known processes of passive transport and anionic exchanger.