CD117 Antibody – Rat Monoclonal

The c-Kit proto-oncogene is the cellular homolog of the transforming gene of a feline retrovirus (v-Kit). The c-kit protein includes characteristics of a protein kinase transmembrane receptor. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

Kit: a receptor tyrosine kinase and a member of the subfamily that includes PDGF, CSF-1 and FLT-3/flk-2 receptors. Receptor for stem cell factor. Plays a critical role in hematopoietic stem cell, mast cell, melanocyte and germ cell development. Ligand binding induces autophosphorylation, dimerization and activation, leading to the recruitment and phosphorylation of downstream SH2-containing signaling components including PLC-gamma, PI3 kinase p85, SHP2 and CrkL, linking c-Kit to various cell signaling pathways. Molecular lesions that impair the kinase activity of c-Kit are associated with a variety of developmental disorders, while mutations that constitutively activate c-Kit can lead to hyperplasia and tumorigenesis. Activating mutations cause >90% of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST); successfully treated with inhibitors Gleevec (imatinib, Glivec) and Sutent (Sutinib, SU11248). Activating mutations also induce mastocytosis. Autocrine/paracrine stimulation may drive some lung and other tumors. Loss of expression associated with melanoma progression. Familial loss of function mutations cause piebaldism, with defects in hair and skin pigmentation due to lack of melanocytes.

Protein type: EC 2.7.10.1; Kinase, protein; Membrane protein, integral; Oncoprotein; PDGFR family; Protein kinase, TK; Protein kinase, tyrosine (receptor); TK group

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 5 C3.3|5 39.55 cM

Cellular Component: acrosome; cell surface; cytoplasm; external side of plasma membrane; extracellular space; intercellular junction; internal side of plasma membrane

Molecular Function: cytokine binding; protease binding; protein binding; protein homodimerization activity; protein-tyrosine kinase activity; stem cell factor receptor activity; transmembrane receptor protein tyrosine kinase activity

Biological Process: actin cytoskeleton reorganization; activation of MAPK activity; cell differentiation; chemotaxis; cytokine and chemokine mediated signaling pathway; dendritic cell cytokine production; detection of mechanical stimulus involved in sensory perception of sound; embryonic hemopoiesis; epithelial cell proliferation; erythrocyte differentiation; germ cell development; germ cell migration; germ cell programmed cell death; glycosphingolipid metabolic process; gut development; hemopoiesis; immature B cell differentiation; inflammatory response; lamellipodium biogenesis; lymphoid progenitor cell differentiation; mast cell chemotaxis; mast cell cytokine production; mast cell degranulation; melanocyte differentiation; myeloid leukocyte differentiation; myeloid progenitor cell differentiation; negative regulation of programmed cell death; ovarian follicle development; peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation; pigmentation; pigmentation during development; positive regulation of cell migration; positive regulation of cell proliferation; positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade; positive regulation of long-term neuronal synaptic plasticity; positive regulation of MAP kinase activity; positive regulation of MAPKKK cascade; positive regulation of Notch signaling pathway; positive regulation of pseudopodium formation; positive regulation of transcription factor activity; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat1 protein; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 protein; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat5 protein; protein amino acid autophosphorylation; protein amino acid phosphorylation; regulation of cell shape; regulation of pigmentation during development; response to radiation; somatic stem cell division; somatic stem cell maintenance; spermatid development; spermatogenesis; stem cell differentiation; T cell differentiation; visual learning