It's home to nationally ranked veterinary, agriculture and medical schools and a place where scientists from across disciplines come together to answer medical questions. In its healthy state, c-kit regulates cell differentiation in mast cells. Damaged, it becomes part of a chain of events that makes these cells grow out of control. They play an important role in allergies and asthma and in protecting the body from bacterial infections. Mast cell cancer is rare in people but extremely common in dogs, usually manifesting as tumors in the skin.
Some breeds are more susceptible than others, pointing to genetic influences.
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