To study the effects of contractile activity on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase), p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K), and Akt kinase signaling in rat skeletal muscle, hindlimb muscles were contracted by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve for periods of 15 s to 60 min. Contraction resulted in a rapid and transient activation of Raf-1 and MAP kinase kinase 1, a rapid and more sustained ...