Focused Issue on Apoptosis and the Heart Convergent signal transduction pathways controlling cardiomyocyte survival and function: the role of PI 3-kinase and Akt

Effective cardioprotection in clinical settings requires not only cardiomyocyte survival but also preservation of fonction. Multiple growth factors protect the heart from ischemic and other injury. While the downstream signaling pathways of these cardioprotective factors are complex, activation of phosphoinositide 3–kinase (PI 3–kinase) and its downstream effector, the serine-threonine kinase Akt (or Protein Kinase B), is a common feature in...