Uniporter that transports zinc(2+) into polarized cells of enterocytes, pancreatic acinar and endoderm cells across the basolateral membrane and participates, notably, in zinc excretion from the intestine by the uptake of zinc from the blood into the intestine (By similarity). The transport mechanism is temperature- and concentration-dependent and saturable (By similarity). In addition, is also a high affinity copper transporter in vitro (PubMed:36454509). Also may regulate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in islets primarily through the zinc-activated SIRT1-PPARGC1A axis (By similarity). Could regulate the BMP/TGF-beta (bone morphogenetic protein/transforming growth factor-beta) signaling pathway and modulates extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins of the sclera (PubMed:24891338). Plays a role in eye development (PubMed:24891338). {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q9D856, ECO:0000269|PubMed:24891338, ECO:0000269|PubMed:36454509}. This is the function of SLC39A5 (solute carrier family 39 member 5, ENSG00000139540).