The anti-apoptotic Akt kinase is commonly activated by survival factors following plasma membrane relocalization. Once activated, Akt appears to prevent or delay apoptosis by phosphorylation-dependent inhibition or activation of multiple signaling molecules involved in apoptosis. With this in mind, a KUMC scientist has developed a conditional allele of Akt, called iAkt, which can be activated following administration of a specific ligand. Furthermore, the inventor created a transgenic mouse model to selectively express the iAkt system in specific tissues. The inactive form of Akt in the mouse model can be activated or inactivated in order to study its function virtually in any tissue or organ depending on the specificity of Cre expression.

File Number: 05KUMC009 

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