In 1998, Hirota et al. showed that the presence of the c-KIT proto-oncogene, a tyrosine kinase III receptor, was required for the normal development of ICCs.
En 1998, Hirota y cols describieron que para el desarrollo normal de la célula intersticial de Cajal era necesaria la presencia del protooncogén c-KIT, un receptor tirosina-cinasa III.