Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Isolation of Whole Cell Protein Lysates from Mouse Facial Processes and Cultured Palatal Mesenchyme Cells for Phosphoprotein Analysis
Published on: April 1, 2022
Constitutively active Akt induces ectodermal defects and impaired bone morphogenetic protein signaling
Carmen Segrelles1, Marta Moral, Corina Lorz
1Molecular Oncology Unit, Division of Biomedicine, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
Deregulated Akt signaling disrupts epithelial development and homeostasis. Constitutively active Akt1 in mice impairs ectodermal organ formation and alters stem cell function, highlighting Akt
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Aberrant Akt pathway activation is linked to human pathologies like cancer.
- Limited understanding exists regarding Akt signaling's role in biological development.
- Akt signaling may be crucial for epidermal homeostasis via cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental effects of deregulated Akt activity in stratified epithelia.
- To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these developmental alterations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transgenic mice expressing constitutively active Akt1 (myrAkt) and wild-type Akt1 (Akt(wt)).
- Conducted gene profiling to identify molecular pathways affected by constitutive Akt activity.
- Observed dose-dependent effects on ectodermally derived organs and adult epidermal stem cells.
Main Results:
- myrAkt mice exhibited dose-dependent alterations in hair, teeth, nails, and epidermal glands development.
- Constitutive Akt activity was found to disrupt the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway.
- Significant alterations were observed in adult epidermal stem cells of myrAkt mice.
Conclusions:
- Proper regulation of Akt expression and activity is essential for epithelial tissue development.
- Deregulated Akt signaling profoundly impacts epidermal homeostasis and organogenesis.
- Akt pathway dysregulation affects key developmental signaling, including BMP.
Related Concept Videos
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
MAPK Signaling Cascades
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
Notch Signaling Pathway
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not until 1985...
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

