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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Sep 3.
Published in final edited form as: Immunol Rev. 2010 May;235(1):234–243. doi: 10.1111/j.0105-2896.2010.00898.x

Fig. 3. The mTOR signaling cascade.

Fig. 3

The kinase mTOR forms two distinct complexes: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). Rapamycin needs to bind to the intracellular partner FKBP12 to exert its effect in the target cell. Rapamycin-FKBP12 complex inhibits activation of mTORC1 by directly binding to mTORC1. mTORC2 is not inhibited directly by rapamycin, but prolonged rapamycin treatment reduces the mTORC2 activity in some cells. Arrows and bars represent activation and inhibition, respectively.