Anti-KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase antibodies are used for the immunodetection of the protein encoded by the KIT gene. In humans, the canonical protein has a reported length of 976 amino acid residues and a mass of 109.9 kDa. Its subcellular localization is in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. Alternative splicing is reported to yield 3 different isoforms for this protein. A member of the Tyr protein kinase protein family, it is reported to be a tyrosine-protein kinase that acts as cell-surface receptor for the cytokine KITLG/SCF and plays an essential role in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation, hematopoiesis, stem cell maintenance, gametogenesis, mast cell development, migration and function, and in melanogenesis. Other names for this target antigen include CD117, MASTC, PBT, SCFR, mast/stem cell growth factor receptor Kit, c-Kit protooncogene, p145 c-kit, and C-Kit. Gene orthologs have been identified in the mouse, rat, bovine, frog, zebrafish, chimpanzee and chicken species.