Zinc Biology, Nutrition, and Clinical Applications
This community investigates the biological role of zinc, ranging from its function as a dietary micronutrient to its operation as a signaling molecule within cells. The work addresses how zinc status affects human health, including the prevention of deficiency and the management of chronic diseases.
The research focuses heavily on zinc supplementation, deficiency, and serum levels in human populations. A significant portion of the literature examines zinc transporters, homeostasis, and its interaction with copper and other trace elements. Studies frequently explore the relationship between zinc status and conditions such as type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress, and cancer. The community also includes work on zinc in animal nutrition, particularly in weaned piglets, and the molecular mechanisms of zinc signaling in cellular processes.
The largest share of the community's output is found in zinc research, accounting for 7.1% of all zinc research, with 6,181 papers in this group. Copper and selenium also appear in the footprint, contributing 0.6% and 0.6% of their respective element research, but zinc dominates the community's composition.
The community comprises 8,608 papers, primarily published in Biological Trace Element Research, Nutrients, and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Recent work continues to examine zinc bioavailability from food sources, such as oyster-derived peptides and wheat sprouting, as well as its role in specific diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and the metabolic impacts of excessive zinc intake.
Papers behind this description
- Cellular zinc metabolism and zinc signaling: from biological functions to diseases and therapeutic targets — Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2024 — doi:10.1038/s41392-023-01679-y
- Role of zinc in health and disease — Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 2024 — doi:10.1007/s10238-024-01302-6
- The transcription factor ZEB2 drives the formation of age-associated B cells — Science, 2024 — doi:10.1126/science.adf8531
- Applications of genome editing technology in the targeted therapy of human diseases: mechanisms, advances and prospects — Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2020 — doi:10.1038/s41392-019-0089-y
- Viral vectored vaccines: design, development, preventive and therapeutic applications in human diseases — Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2023 — doi:10.1038/s41392-023-01408-5
- Computationally designed mRNA-launched protein nanoparticle immunogens elicit protective antibody and T cell responses in mice — Science Translational Medicine, 2025 — doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.adu2085
- The impact of wheat sprouting on iron and zinc bioaccessibility and bioavailability to Caco-2 cells — Food Chemistry, 2025 — doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146332
- Organic acid-preserved grain improves growth and gut health in weanling pigs fed zinc oxide free diets — Scientific Reports, 2025 — doi:10.1038/s41598-025-30702-1
- Roles of zinc and zinc transporters in development, progression, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — Frontiers in Nutrition, 2025 — doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1649658