ZINC IN HUMAN BLOOD CELLS: NORMAL VALUES AND ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH LIVER DISEASE*

Abstract
Mean values for normal persons with an acid extraction - dithizone method are 12.1 (SD[plus or minus]1.51) ug Zn/1010 red cells and 103 (SD[plus or minus]25.5) ug Zn/1010 white cells. The presence of low serum Zn levels in patients with cirrhosis is confirmed, and decreased intracellular Zn is established by the finding of 72.9 (SD[plus or minus]19.9) ug Zn/1010 white cells in a group of 15 cirrhotics. The level of Zn in red cells seems to vary with their mean corpuscular volume.