c-Kit: Monoclonal Anti-c-Kit Antibody (8H18)

Background: c-Kit is a receptor tyrosine kinase that binds stem cell factor (SCF). Structurally, c-Kit contains five immunoglobulin-like domains extracellularly and a catalytic domain divided into two regions by a 77 amino acid insert intracellularly. c-Kit is expressed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and in several non-hematopoietic tissues. Moreover, human and mouse embryonic stem cells express Kit transcripts.  Signaling by SCF and Kit, its receptor, plays important roles in gametogenesis, hematopoiesis, mast cell development and function, and melanogenesis. Downstream of c-Kit, multiple signal transduction components are activated, including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, Src family members, the JAK/STAT pathway and the Ras-Raf-MAP kinase cascade. c-Kit gene mutations and  overexpression have been shown in a number of different neoplasms, particularly in mastocytosis and gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). c-Kit is a drug target for these tumor treatments. Glevec has been successfully used for this purpose.

Specific detection of c-Kit proteins in MO7e cell lysates by Western blot analysis using c-Kit Monoclonal Antibody (8H18).