该基因编码锌转运蛋白slc30a/znt家族的一个成员。ZnT蛋白介导锌向细胞膜结合细胞器的流出和固锌编码蛋白作为锌转运蛋白6的异二聚体在胰腺β细胞早期分泌途径中发挥作用，并可能调节锌在胰腺β细胞分泌颗粒中的沉积。另外，该基因的剪接转录变体编码多个亚型，并且该基因的假基因位于19号染色体的长臂上。[由RefSeq提供，2011年10月]
This gene encodes a member of the SLC30A/ZnT family of zinc transporter proteins. ZnT proteins mediate both cellular zinc efflux and zinc sequestration into membrane-bound organelles. The encoded protein plays a role in the early secretory pathway as a heterodimer with zinc transporter 6, and may also regulate zinc sequestration into secretory granules of pancreatic beta cells. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for this gene, and a pseudogene of this gene is located on the long arm of chromosome 19. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2011]