Definition
Zinc ions (Zn2+) are secreted by many types of cells, including pancreatic, prostatic, GI tract cells, and various kinds of leucocytes. The most intricate and complex zinc-secreting system is the network of zinc-secreting neurons that dominates the newly evolved, cortical regions of the brain. These neurons, which secrete the transmitter glutamate along with zinc ions from their presynaptic terminals, are called “gluzincergic,” or “zincergic.” Zinc that is found in the synaptic vesicles is referred to as synaptic zinc. Virtually all of the connections from one cortical region to another (cortical associational pathways) are gluzincergic. Even more intriguing, the hippocampal and the amygdalar structures of the brain, key structures for processing emotional meaning and for conscious remembering, are interconnected with each...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Dyck R, Beaulieu C, Cynader M (1993) Histochemical localization of synaptic zinc in the developing cat visual cortex. J Comp Neurol 329:53–67
Frederickson CJ, Suh SW, Silva D, Thompson RB (2000) Importance of zinc in the central nervous system: the zinc-containing neuron. J Nutr 130:1471S–1483S
Frederickson CJ, Koh JY, Bush AI (2005) The neurobiology of zinc in health and disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 6:449–462
Haug FM, Blackstad TW, Simonsen AH, Zimmer J (1971) Timm’s sulfide silver reaction for zinc during experimental anterograde degeneration of hippocampal mossy fibers. J Comp Neurol 142:23–31
Howell GA, Welch MG, Frederickson CJ (1984) Stimulation-induced uptake and release of zinc in hippocampal slices. Nature 308:736–738
Li YV (2012) Zinc overload in stroke. In: Li YV, Zhang JH (eds) Metal ion in stroke, 1st edn. Springer Science + Business Media, New York, pp 167–189
Li YV, Hough CJ, Sarvey JM (2003) Do we need zinc to think? Sci STKE 2003:pe19
Palmiter RD, Cole TB, Quaife CJ, Findley SD (1996) ZnT-3, a putative transporter of zinc into synaptic vesicles. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:14934–14939
Pan E, Zhang XA, Huang Z, Krezel A, Zhao M, Tinberg CE, Lippard SJ, McNamara JO (2011) Vesicular zinc promotes presynaptic and inhibits postsynaptic long-term potentiation of mossy fiber-CA3 synapse. Neuron 71:1116–1126
Sindreu CB, Varoqui H, Erickson JD, Perez-Clausell J (2003) Boutons containing vesicular zinc define a subpopulation of synapses with low AMPAR content in rat hippocampus. Cereb Cortex 13:823–829
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Li, Y.V., Frederickson, C.J. (2013). Zinc-Secreting Neurons, Gluzincergic and Zincergic Neurons. In: Kretsinger, R.H., Uversky, V.N., Permyakov, E.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Metalloproteins. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_210
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1533-6_210
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-1532-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-1533-6
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences