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Physiology of Zinc: General Aspects

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Zinc in Human Biology

Part of the book series: ILSI Human Nutrition Reviews ((ILSI HUMAN))

Abstract

Zinc is one of the so-called trace elements present in the body, but in nature it is present in the Earth’s crust to the extent of about 0.02% and is 23rd in the order of abundance of the elements. In this context it is far scarcer than many elements which are less familiar to biologists today (e.g. zirconium, vanadium or strontium). That zinc is essential for normal life in both humans and animals is now beyond doubt, having been first shown to be required for normal growth in rats and mice in the 1930s (Todd et al. 1934; Bertrand and Bhattacherjee 1935).

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Authors
  1. M. J. Jackson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rowett Research Institute, AB2 9SB, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

    Colin F. Mills MSc, PhD, CChem, FRSC, FRSE (Director of Postgraduate Studies) (Director of Postgraduate Studies)

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Jackson, M.J. (1989). Physiology of Zinc: General Aspects. In: Mills, C.F. (eds) Zinc in Human Biology. ILSI Human Nutrition Reviews. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3879-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3879-2_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-3881-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3879-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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