The PI3K / AKT diagram was created by Rockland scientists to provide an overview of this important Signaling Pathway. The proteins are linked to the related Rockland antibody products.

To download a PDF version of the PI3K / AKT Signaling Pathway, click here.

 Akt Pathway Description:

The phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway is one of the major pathways modulating cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, survival, andangiogenesis.  Many cancer research studies indicate that components ofthe phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway are targeted byamplification, mutation and translocation at a higher frequently than other proteins in cancer patients.  Hyperactivation of this pathway is one of the most frequent occurrences in human cancer and is thus an obvious target for treatment of this disease. 

Also known as PKB, Akt is a serine/threonine kinase composed ofa kinase domain and a pleckstrin homology, initially discovered as aproto-oncogene.  There are three closely related isoforms of AKT: Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3 which are differentially expressed in various tissues.While a major component of the PI3K signal pathway, Akt also plays a significant role in multiple signaling networks including cytokines, NF-kB, GPCRs,and integrins.  Akt is activated through recruitment to membranes by stimuli that induce the production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 triphosphatesby phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K).  Phosphorylation of Akt on Thr308 andSer473 leads to full activation, and Akt can be down regulated through theaction of PTEN, PPA2 and mTOR. PI3K/PTEN/Akt along with mTOR  form well-established target set for treatment of cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders.