SLC39A12 encodes ZIP12, a zinc transporter that mediates zinc influx across the plasma membrane 1. As a uniporter, ZIP12 functions in intracellular zinc homeostasis and contains conserved motifs suggesting regulated cellular trafficking 2. The transporter is highly expressed in the vertebrate nervous system and is essential for neural tube closure and neurite outgrowth during embryogenesis 13. SLC39A12 is implicated in multiple neurological conditions. Elevated cortical SLC39A12 mRNA expression occurs in schizophrenia patients, suggesting dysregulated zinc homeostasis 45. Recent transcriptome-wide association studies identify SLC39A12 as a candidate gene underlying nigrostriatal iron accumulation and overlap with Parkinson's disease pathology 6. Genome-wide association studies link SLC39A12 polymorphisms to brain susceptibility-weighted MRI intensity, potentially connecting the transporter to neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease 1. Additionally, SLC39A12 influences functional brain connectivity, contributing to neurodevelopmental and cognitive traits 7. Outside the nervous system, hypoxia-induced ZIP12 upregulation drives smooth muscle proliferation in pulmonary arterioles, contributing to pulmonary hypertension pathophysiology 8. These findings position SLC39A12 as a potential therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric and pulmonary diseases involving impaired metal homeostasis.