Skip to main content

mTOR

Meaning

mTOR, which stands for mechanistic Target of Rapamycin, is a highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that functions as a master sensor of the cell’s nutritional, energy, and growth factor status. It acts as a central hub, integrating signals from amino acids, glucose, and hormones like insulin and IGF-1, to regulate fundamental cellular processes. In the context of longevity and metabolic health, mTOR activity is a key determinant of the balance between anabolic processes, such as protein synthesis, and catabolic processes, like autophagy.