This editorial highlights a study by Mellone et al. (2014) entitled “Zinc transporter-1 (ZNT-1): a novel NMDA receptor binding protein at the postsynaptic density” in this issue of Journal of Neurochemistry, which reports for the first time that the zinc-transporter ZnT1 interacts directly and in an activity-dependent manner with the cytoplasmic tail of the zinc-sensitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The highlighted article suggests a novel pathway towards ion homeostasis through balancing zinc and calcium ions (Zn2+ and Ca2+) and involving receptor modulation at synapses.