AKT1 is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase that plays a crucial role in many signaling pathways. Some of its names include:

1. AKT1
2. Protein kinase B alpha (PKBα)
3. RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase
4. Proto-oncogene c-Akt
5. RAC-PK-alpha
6. And sometimes simply “AKT” in the context of its family (AKT1/AKT2/AKT3)

In its inactive state, AKT1 resides in the cytosol. When upstream signals (such as PI3K activity) generate phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3), AKT1 is recruited to the plasma membrane. There, it is phosphorylated on two key residues (Thr308 and Ser473 for AKT1), which activates its kinase activity. Activated AKT1 then phosphorylates many downstream effectors, influencing processes like cell survival, growth, metabolism, protein synthesis, and glucose uptake.

AKT1 in Health and Disease

Because of its central role in many signaling networks, AKT1 is implicated in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes. Some highlights:

1. Cancer: Overactivation of AKT1 is common in many cancers. Mutations, amplification, or upstream deregulation (e.g. PI3K activating mutations or loss of PTEN) lead to increased AKT1 signaling, promoting tumor growth, survival, and resistance to therapies.
2. Metabolic diseases: Because AKT1 is involved in insulin signaling and glucose uptake, defects in AKT1 pathway components can contribute to insulin resistance, Type II diabetes, obesity.
3. Cardiovascular disease: AKT1 affects heart muscle survival and hypertrophy; too much or too little can lead to problems.
4. Neurological roles: AKT1 signaling is involved in neuronal survival, axonal growth, and plasticity; misregulation may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases or brain injury responses.
5. Therapeutic targeting: AKT inhibitors are being developed for cancer; modulation of AKT signaling is explored for metabolic disease and neuroprotection.

The Genprice AKT1, NT (MaxLight 750) Product — A Researcher’s Asset

For labs investigating AKT1 biology, having validated tools is essential. The Genprice AKT1, NT (MaxLight 750) product is designed to facilitate such research.

Here’s the product:

Genprice AKT1-NT (MaxLight 750) Antibody

Why this product is valuable:

1. Polyclonal antibody: Recognizes multiple epitopes in the AKT1 protein—useful if one epitope is masked or altered in some conditions.
2. NT region targeting: “NT” indicates antibody raised against the N-terminal region of AKT1. This can offer specificity or allow detection in contexts where the C-terminal might be modified or obstructed.
3. MaxLight 750 label: Useful if doing multiplex fluorescence or imaging experiments; a fluorescent tag (depending on experimental setup) helps with detection sensitivity.
4. Applications: Likely useful in Western blot, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, etc., depending on validation data from Genprice.

By incorporating this antibody into your experiments, you can more precisely track AKT1 levels, post-translational modifications, localization, and responses to stimuli or drugs.

Sample Experimental Use Cases

Here are some ways researchers might employ the Genprice AKT1, NT product:

1. Evaluating AKT1 activation in response to growth factors
2. Treat cells with IGF or insulin → cell lysates → Western blot using AKT1, NT antibody to determine baseline AKT1 levels; paired with phospho-AKT antibodies to assess activation.
3. Monitoring localization changes
4. Use immunofluorescence with AKT1, NT + fluorescence microscopy to see whether AKT1 translocates to the membrane, nucleus or other compartments in response to stimuli.
5. Investigating effects of inhibitors
6. Use AKT pathway inhibitors or upstream inhibitors (e.g. PI3K inhibitors) to see how AKT1 protein levels or localization change when signaling is blocked.
7. Cancer research
8. Compare AKT1 expression in tumor vs normal tissue via IHC or IF, using the Genprice antibody to assess whether overexpression correlates with clinical data.

Current Research Trends & Future Directions

Some promising areas in AKT1 research:

1. Selective inhibitors: Many AKT inhibitors are not isoform-specific, so specificity for AKT1 is a challenge. Better tools and antibodies aid in developing selective targeting.
2. Resistance mechanisms in cancer: Tumors can bypass AKT-inhibition via alternative pathways; understanding AKT1’s network is essential.
3. Cross-talk with other pathways: For example, mTOR, AMPK, WNT, etc. Mapping these interactions precisely needs quantitative tools and good antibodies.
4. Biomarker discovery: Using expression or activation status of AKT1 as prognostic/predictive biomarker in cancer or metabolic disease.
5. Neuroprotection and aging: Exploring how AKT1 can protect neurons from oxidative stress, assist in recovery from injury, or influence age-related decline.

Conclusion

AKT1 plays a central role in cellular signaling, with broad implications in health, disease, and therapy. Whether you’re studying cancer, metabolism, neurobiology, or drug response, having tools that reliably detect and characterize AKT1 is critical.

The Genprice AKT1, NT (MaxLight 750) antibody offers researchers a powerful reagent to interrogate AKT1 in diverse experimental settings. By using validated antibodies like this, scientists can generate robust, reproducible data that brings us closer to understanding fundamental biology—and translating that knowledge into treatments.

If you’d like, I can put together a visual flow-chart of AKT1 signaling (with upstream modulators, cross-talk, etc.), or prepare a shorter “lab handbook-style” summary you can print or share.