Akt, also referred to as PKB or Rac, plays a critical role in controlling survival and apoptosis. This protein kinase is activated by insulin and various growth and survival factors to function in a wortmannin-sensitive pathway involving PI3 kinase. Akt is activated by phospholipid binding and activation loop phosphorylation at Thr308 by PDK1 and by phosphorylation within the carboxy terminus at Ser473.
