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PI3K/Akt Pathway

Meaning

The PI3K/Akt Pathway, formally known as the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Protein Kinase B signaling pathway, is a crucial intracellular cascade that regulates fundamental cellular processes, including metabolism, proliferation, survival, and growth. This pathway is a primary mediator of the powerful anabolic and anti-apoptotic effects of hormones like insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Dysfunction in this central signaling axis is intimately linked to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and various forms of cancer.