Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine
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Zinc is an essential trace element and cofactor for many cellular processes. Uptake of ionized divalent zinc (Zn(2+)) in peripheral tissues depends on its total content in the circulation and on mechanisms facilitating delivery to tissues in its labile form. Understanding mechanisms of Zn(2+) delivery has been hindered by the absence of techniques to detect labile Zn(2+) in the circulation. ⋯ Affinity of the filtrate fraction was rapidly and reversibly responsive to anesthesia alone, decreasing significantly at 4 h and recovering at 24 h; in animals subjected to moderate surgical stress, this responsiveness was lost. These findings are the first reported measurements of labile Zn(2+) in the circulation in any form of mild systemic stress. Zinc undergoes substantial redistribution in the plasma as a response to surgical stress, leading to increased availability in lower molecular weight fractions and in its labile form.