Extracellular zinc intake in cultured astrocytes is altered by ethanol exposure

Ethanol reduces the amount of intracellular zinc detectable with TSQ. Ethanol impairs astrocyte Zn management. It results in a lower capacity for exogenous Zn intake and delivering to zincosomes. Thus, Zn supplementation (dietary?) may not be enough for recovery of cellular normal function; as it happens in alcohol treated astrocytes. Zincosomes are a kind of low density primary endosomes.