AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master metabolic regulator which inhibits key enzymes of ATP consuming pathways and induces pathways that generate ATP. AMPK is activated by stimuli like muscle contraction, inflammation, sepsis, metabolic poisoning, exercise, hypoxia, ischemia, heat shock and neuronal necrosis. It controls metabolic processes that include glucose uptake, fatty acid oxidation, glycogen, cholesterol and protein synthesis and induction of mitochondrial biogenesis. Activation of AMPK requires the phosphorylation of its catalytic α-subunit by upstream kinases, namely AMPKKs. AMPK consists of a catalytic α-subunit and regulatory β and γ-subunits...