The c-Fes protein-tyrosine kinase is the normal cellular ortholog of several avian and feline retroviral oncoproteins. Unlike its transforming viral counterparts, c-Fes tyrosine kinase activity is tightly regulated in vivo through a mechanism involving coiled-coil oligomerization domains and other unique structural features found in its long N-terminal region. This review is focused on the regulatory features and structural biology of c-Fes, which has been implicated in normal cellular growth regulation, the innate immune response, and tumorigenesis.