c-Kit/CD117

c-Kit is transmembrane tyrosine kinase encoded by the c-Kit proto oncogene. c-Kit acts to regulate a variety of biological processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, chemotaxis and adhesion.
It plays a critical role in activation and growth in a number of cell types such as hematopoietic stem cells, mast cells, melanocytes and germ cells.

Mutations in c-Kit have been found to be important for tumor growth and progression in a variety of cancers including mast cell diseases, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, acute myeloid leukemia, Ewing sarcoma and lung cancer. Phosphorylation at tyrosine 721 of c-Kit allows binding and activation of PI3 kinase.