Chelators for investigating zinc metalloneurochemistry

Abstract

The physiology and pathology of mobile zinc signaling has become an important topic in metalloneurochemistry. To study the action of mobile zinc effectively, specialized tools are required that probe the temporal and positional changes of zinc ions within live tissue and cells. In the present article we describe the design and implementation of selective zinc chelators as antagonists to interrogate the function of mobile zinc, with an emphasis on the pools of vesicular zinc in the terminals of hippocampal mossy fiber buttons.

Highlights

► Background on zinc metalloneurochemistry with an emphasis on hippocampal zinc. ► Design rules for zinc chelators that can be used as antagonists for mobile zinc. ► Utility of Zn-selective chelators for understanding zinc metalloneurochemisty.