High impact information on KIT

• MHC class II and c-kit expression allows rapid enrichment of T-cell progenitors from total bone marrow cells [1].
• T-cell progenitors in the embryonic bone marrow express the tyrosine kinase receptor c-kit [1].
• Renewed interest in these cells arose recently when the receptor tyrosine kinase, c-kit, was shown to be associated with their functional activity [2].
• In situ hybridization of the chimeric bowels showed that all the c-kit-positive cells were of the chick type, and therefore belonged to the gut mesenchyme and were not neural crest-derived cells [2].
• We demonstrate that erythroid progenitor cells express several receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases, like c-kit, Jak1, Ryk, FAK, Syk, Arg, Csk and members of the insulin receptor family [3].

Biological context of KIT

• Cloning and expression of the chicken c-kit proto-oncogene [4].
• The phenotype of these cells, expressing the cell surface molecules alpha2beta1 integrin, c-kit, thrombomucin/MEP21, HEMCAM and chL12, reflects functional properties required for cell adhesion, migration and growth factor responsiveness [5].

Anatomical context of KIT

• Germ cells were identified by c-kit immunocytochemistry [6].
• Germ cells were characterized by expression of stem cell factor receptor c-kit [7].
• The expression patterns of c-kit and Sl in chicken embryos suggest unexpected roles for these genes in somite and limb development [8].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of KIT

• Only germ cells showed positive staining for c-kit in the coculture [7].

References