ZnT3: a zinc transporter active in several organs

The review collects the emerging information about zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3). ZnT3 has been associated with Alzheimer's disease, airway diseases and diabetes. ZnT3 was discovered and cloned in 1996. Since then, the major interest in the protein has been in its ability to transport zinc into pre-synaptic vesicles of glutamatergic neurones and its role during the development of amyloid beta plaques in Alzheimer's disease. Increasing evidence suggests that ZnT3 is present in various cell types like different cell types in the brain, cells from adipose tissue, beta-cells from pancreatic islets, epithelial cells, cells from testis, prostate cancer cells and cells from retina. The expression of ZnT3 is regulated by age, hormones, fatty acids, zinc chelation, and glucose.