Akt Signaling. Akt (v-Akt Murine Thymoma Viral Oncogene)/ PKB (Protein Kinase-B) is a Serine/threonine Kinase that is involved in mediating various biological responses, such as inhibition of Apoptosis and stimulation of cell proliferation. Three mammalian isoforms are currently known: Akt1/PKB- Alpha, Akt2/PKB-Beta and Akt3/PKB-Gamma.
Vascular: Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes all of the veins and arteries. And, a vascular surgeon is an expert at evaluating and treating problems of the veins and arteries.
But while we're usually pretty familiar with our own arteries and veins, we tend to tune out when it comes to plant vessels. A vascular system is what distributes water and nutrients to different parts of a plant. Vascular systems are made up of xylem and phloem, or vascular tissue, which we'll get into soon.