This gene encodes one of three AKT serine-threonine protein kinases (AKT1, AKT2, AKT3), which share a pleckstrin homology domain, a kinase domain, and a regulatory C-terminal domain. AKT proteins are phosphorylated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and play a crucial role in cell signaling pathways activated by membrane-bound ligands. They regulate cellular functions like proliferation, survival, metabolism, and angiogenesis in both normal and cancerous cells. AKT proteins are recruited to the cell membrane by PIP3, and their activation requires phosphorylation at specific residues. The PI3K/AKT pathway is vital for tumor cell survival and is involved in the mTOR pathway, which regulates protein synthesis. Mutations in this gene are linked to various cancers, including breast, colorectal, and ovarian cancers, as well as disorders like Proteus and Cowden syndromes. Several spliced transcript variants exist for this gene.