A perspective on AKT 25-plus years after its discovery.

Since its discovery more than 25 years ago, the kinase AKT has become a central figure in cell signaling. We highlight some of the landmark findings in those 25 years that contributed to our understanding of the regulation and function of AKT in directing cellular processes and behavior. Future progress toward fully understanding the roles of AKT in cell, tissue, and organismal biology will depend on technological innovations and the combination of in-depth reductionist analyses with systems-based strategies.