Zinc (Zn⁺⁺) is an essential metal ion in biological systems.  Zinc is a cofactor of hundreds of enzymes and plays important roles in signal transduction, gene expression, regulation of apoptosis, synaptic plasticity and prostate gland function.  Zinc deficiency is associated with malabsorption syndrome, chronic GI, liver disease, diabetes, renal disease, sickle cell disease, anorexia nervosa, and HIV infection. 

NanoMolar Zinc Assay Kit (Catalog number:  NZA1000)

The NanoMolar Zinc Assay Kit is for measurement of submicromolar concentrations of zinc (100 nM – 1 µM).  The assay is based on the principle that binding the fluorescence dye NZA selectively with Zinc results in increase of the fluorescence intensity (emission 535 nm, excitation 485 nm).  The assay is compatible with regular buffers with different metal ions including 10 mM Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺,  Mn²⁺,  Al³⁺,  Fe³⁺,  Ag⁺ , Co²⁺ and  Ni²⁺.  Chelators such as EDTA and thiol compounds bind strongly some of the metal ions and should be avoided in the assay.

The assay kit can be used for high-throughput measurements of zinc concentrations in chemical and biochemical reactions, pharmaceutical process or environmental water samples.  The kit can also be used for biochemical assays of enzyme assays associated with zinc metabolism.  Each kit provides the reagent for measurement of 1000 samples using 96-well plates (0.100 ml of sample volume).  Cuvettes may also be used for measurements.  The kit also provides a ZnCl₂ solution as a control.

References:

Dandley EC et al, Atomic layer deposition coating of carbon nanotubes with zinc oxide causes acute phase immune responses in human monocytes in vitro and in mice after pulmonary exposure. Particle and Fibre Toxicology, Vol.13: 29 (2016).