The proto-oncogene c-k/t, a transmembrane tyrosine protein kinase receptor for an unknown ligand, was shown recently to map to the dominant white spotting locus (W) of the mouse. Mutations at the W locus affect various aspects of hematopoiesis, as well as the proliferation and/or migration of primordial germ cells and melanoblasts during development. Here, we show that c-k/t is expressed in tissues known to be affected by W mutations in fetal and adult erythropoietic tissues, mast cells, and neural-crest-derived melanocytes. We demonstrate that the c-k/t associated tyrosine-specific protein kinase is functionally impaired in W/W v mast cells, thus providing a molecular basis for understanding the developmental defects that result from these mutations.
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