The stable association with macromolecules and the flexibility of the coordination geometry are particular properties of zinc and its essentiality has been associated with the biological functions assigned to the metal, either by participating directly in chemical catalysis or by helping to mantain protein and nucleic acid structures and stability. Zinc is the second most abundant essential trace element in the human organism and it is necessary to the activity of more than 300 enzymes, covering all 6 classes of them. These properties make this metal and its ligands subjects of great interest for experimental nutrition, leading to the determination of zinc bioavailability. Among these ligands, the testicular Angiotensin- Converting Enzyme, synthesized by male germ cells, is an important example of the molecular regulation by zinc binding, determining both the activity and the concentrations of this enzyme, and affecting the testicular function.
zinc; angiotensin-converting enzyme; biological availability; testicular function; enzymes
