AKT3, also known as Protein Kinase B (PKB) gamma, is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a key role in regulating several cellular processes — including cell survival, proliferation, metabolism, and growth. As a member of the AKT kinase family (which includes AKT1 and AKT2), AKT3 is primarily involved in controlling cell survival and apoptosis. It becomes activated in response to growth factors, cytokines, and other extracellular signals that promote cell growth and survival. Once activated, AKT3 phosphorylates downstream targets like BAD and caspase-9, which are important in the regulation of apoptosis.