Table 2.

Pathological signs of zinc deficiency possibly associated with defective cell calcium entry

Gross pathology	Species (Reference)	Metabolic defect (Reference)
Decreased and cyclic food intake	Rat (48, 49)	Food intake is dependent on Ca entry (12, 13)
Taste abnormalities	Rat (53, 57), human (54)	Taste receptor function and water balance require Ca influx (55, 56)
Osmotic fragility, abnormal water balance	Chicken (58), rat (59)	Decreased Ca entry inactivates the K channel and osmotic regulation (60)
Skin lesions, parakeratosis	Rat (61),pig (16)	Ca entry required for differentiation of keratinocytes (62–64)
Impaired reproduction, dystocia, low blood pressure	Rat (37, 38, 65), human (66)	Ca entry required for cell proliferation and muscle tone (7, 67)
Depressed immunity	Mouse (68, 69), human (70)	Ca entry required for thymocyte proliferation and differentiation (71–73)
Teratogenesis	Rat (77–79)	Ca entry required for cell proliferation and differentiation (12, 13)