Description
Akt [also known as PKB (Protein kinase B) is a family of serine/threonine kinases that plays an important role in signal transduction. There are three known isoforms of Akt in mammalian cells [Akt1 (alpha), Akt2 (beta) and Akt3 (gamma)]; Akt2 and Akt3 have 81% and 83% homology in amino acid sequences with Akt1, respectively. Numerous studies have revealed that the expression pattern of Akt1 and Akt2 is ubiquitous, whereas Akt3 is expressed predominantly in brain, heart, and kidney. Akt is activated by insulin and growth and survival factors.Akt has been referred to as an oncogene because it has increased activity in a number of tumors