CD117/c-kit) is a member of Tyrosine Kinase kDa(-3) Receptor (TKR)
family and highly homologous to receptor PDGF and CSF-1. This antibody
recognizes the extracellular domain and is expressed by a variety of normal and
abnormal cell types.
In normal cells, the CD117 antibody has been shown to label breast
epithelium, germ cells, melanocytes, stem cells and mast cells. In abnormal
cells, it has been shown to label testicular germ cells, endometrial carcinomas,
papillary and follicular thyroid carcinomas, small cell carcinomas, melanomas
and ovarian epithelial carcinomas. It has also been shown to be an effective
marker for mast cell disorders, gastrointestinal stromal tumors and immunotyping
of blasts in human bone marrow.