Department of Biology

Dennis Baeyens
Dennis A. Baeyens
Professor

(501) 569-8342
(501) 569-3271 (fax)

dabaeyens@ualr.edu

Ph.D. (Physiology) 1973 Michigan State University
M.S. (Physiology) 1970 Michigan State University
B.S. (Biology) 1968 Wayne State University

Research Interests

My primary research interest centers around gene regulation of adrenergic receptors. I am interested in the changes that occur in hepatic adrenergic receptors during mammalian development. The beta2-adrenergic receptor is active during fetal development in the liver but shortly after birth the beta2-adrenergic receptor is replaced by the alpha1-adrenergic receptor. I am interested in the mechanisms that control the genetic switch from the beta2 to the alpha1 receptor subtype. My approach is to examine the control of beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression during hepatic development at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels.

A second research interest centers around vastocin receptor gene expression in the domestic chicken. I are currently trying to clone a vasotocin receptor subtype from a partial clone which I received from another investigator. After the gene is cloned I plan to define the tissue distribution of the message and pharmacologically characterize the receptor.

Courses Taught BIOL 1401 General Biology
BIOL 3401 Mammalian Physiology
BIOL 4403/5403 Comparative Physiology

Publications Baeyens, D. A., J. R. Hoffert and P. O. Fromm (1971) Aerobic glycolysis and its role in the maintenanceof high 02 tensions in the teleost retina. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. Med. 137:740-744.

Baeyens, D. A., J. R. Hoffert (1972) Inhibition of vertebrate retinal lactate dehydrogenase during exposure to normobaric oxygen. Aerospace Med. 43:263-265.

Baeyens, D. A., J. R. Hoffert and P. O. Fromm (1973) A comparative study of the oxygen toxicity in the retina, brain and liver of the teleost, amphibian and mammal. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 45A:925-932.

Baeyens, D. A., J. R. Hoffert and P. O. Fromm (1973) A comparative study of the influence of oxygen on lactate dehydrogenase. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 47B:1-7.

Hoffert, J. R., D. A. Baeyens, and P. O. Fromm (1973) The resistance of teleost ocular tissues to oxygen toxicity. Invest. Ophthalmol. 12 (11):858-861.

Hoffert, J. R., D. A. Baeyens and P. O. Fromm (1974) In Vivo oxygen toxicity in invertebrates and vertebrates. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 52A:351-353.

Baeyens, D. A. (1975) Oxygen induced inhibition of mouse brain lactate dehydrogenase. Aviation Space and Environ. Med. 46:772- 774.

Baeyens, D. A. and M. J. Meier (1977) Oxygen toxicity in the mammalian liver. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 31:17-18.

Baeyens, D. A., C. T. McAllister and L. F. Morgans (1978) Some physiological and morphological adaptations for underwater survival in Natrix rhombifera and Elaphe obsoleta. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 32:18-21.

Baeyens, D. A. (1975) Oxygen induced inhibition of mouse brain lactate dehydrogenase. Aviation Space and Environ. Med. 46:772- 774.

Baeyens, D. A. and M. J. Meier (1977) Oxygen toxicity in the mammalian liver. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 31:17-18.

Baeyens, D. A., C. T. McAllister and L. F. Morgans (1978) Some physiological and morphological adaptations for underwater survival in Natrix rhombifera and Elaphe obsoleta. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 32:18-21.

Baeyens, D. A. and M. J. Meier (1978) Effects of hyperbaric oxygen and glutathione on mammalian liver metabolism. Aviat. Space and Environ. Med. 49:980-983.

Baeyens, D. A. and M. J. Meier (1978) Effects of hypobaric hypoxia on some enzyme systems in the mammalian liver. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 32:22-24.

Baeyens, D. A., M. Patterson and C. T. McAllister (1979) Hematology as related to diving characteristics of Elaphe obsoleta, Nerodia erythrogaster, Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia rhombifera. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 33:17-18.

Baeyens, D. A., M. Patterson and C. T. McAllister (1980) A comparative physiological study of diving in three species of Nerodia and Elaphe obsoleta (Reptilia, Serpentes). J. of Herpetology. 14(1):65-70.

Baeyens, D. A. and L. Mann (1980) Age and huddling as determinants of metabolic rate in grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster). Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 33:19-21.

Dove L. B., D. A. Baeyens and Michael V. Plummer (1982) Evaporative water loss in Opheodrys aestivus (Colubridae). The Southwestern Naturalist. 27(2):228-230.

Baeyens D. A. and R. L. Rountree (1983) A comparative study of evaporative water loss and epidermal permeability in an arboreal snake, Opheodrys aestivus and a semi-aquatic snake, Nerodia rhombifera . Comparative Biochem. and Physiology. 79A:301-304.

Morgans L. F. and D. A. Baeyens (1983) The effect of exercise on high density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 37:54-57.

Baeyens D. A., D. Bursey, and R. Rountree (1986) A comparative study of lactate dehydrogenase activity in diving and nondiving reptiles. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 39:14-18.

Baeyens D. A. (1986) The kinetic properties and sensitivity to pyruvate inhibition of tissue lactate dehydrogenase in diving and nondiving reptiles. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 86B:259-264.

Baeyens, D. A. and S. R. Hurley (1986) The effects of low pH on lactate dehydrogenase kinetics of diving and nondiving reptiles. Proc. Ark. Acad. Sci. 40:13-16.

Vesely, D. L., J. M. Walters and D. A. Baeyens (1987) Atrial natriuretic prohormone peptides 1-30, 31-67, and 79-98 vasodilate the aorta. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 148:1540-1548.

Baeyens, D. A., J. M. Walters, W. G. Smith and R. H. Ebert (1989) Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase activities in heart and brain of a diving and nondiving reptile. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 94B:475-480.

Baeyens, D. A., J. M. Walters and D. L. Vesely (1988) Atrial natriuretic factor increases the magnitude of duodenal spontaneous phasic contractions Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 155:1437-1443.

Baeyens, D. A., Eric Price, Chris J. Winters and David L. Vesely (1989) Diving increases atrial natriuretic factor-like peptide in fresh water diving turtles. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 94A:515-518.

Vesely, D. L., D. A. Baeyens, C. J. Winters, R. Elder and D. Wewers (1991) Diving increases the N-terminus of the atrial natriuretic factor prohormone in fresh water diving turtles. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 98A:67-70.

Baeyens, D. A. and L. E. Cornett (1993) Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of hepatic beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression. Journal of Cellular Physiology.157:70-76.

Corley, Jerry, Susan Forman, Lawrence E. Cornett and Dennis A. Baeyens (1994) Posttranscriptional regulation of hepatic b2-adrenergic receptor mRNA gene expression during development. Undergraduate Research Proceedings. 1:26-29.

Baeyens, D. A. and L. E. Cornett (1995) Association of hepatic beta2-adrenergic receptor gene transcript destabilization during postnatal Development in the Sprague-Dawley rat with a Mr 85,000 protein that binds selectively to the beta2-adrenergic receptor mRNA 3'-untranslated region. Journal of Cellular Physiology. 163:305-311.

Kelly, J.G., B. Bracy, S. Holt, L.E. Cornett, and D.A. Baeyens. (1996) Developmental regulation of beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression.Arkansas Undergraduate Research Proceedings.2:33-34.

Kelly, J.G., S. Holt, L.E.Cornett, D.A. Baeyens, J.E.Jocobi, and S. Forman.(1997) Transcriptional regulation of beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression in the developing male rat liver. Arkansas Undergraduate Research Proceedings. 3:247-248.

Baeyens, Dennis A., McGraw, Dennis W., Jacobi, Sandie E. and Lawrence E. Cornett. (1998) Transcriptional of the beta2-adrenergic receptor gene in the rat liver is regulated during early postnatal development by an upstream repressor element Journal of Celluar Physiology. 175:333-340.

Tan, Fen-lai, Lolait, Stephen J., Baeyens, Dennis A. and Lawrence E. Cornett. (1999) Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of a Vasotocin Receptor Subtype that is Expressed in the Shell Gland and Brain of the Domestic Chicken. J. Reprod. Biology. Accepted for publication.

Amponsah, N., Hopper, R., Thrash, J., Randall, E., Cornett, L. and D. Baeyens. (1999) Beta2-Adrenergic Receptor Destabilization during Hepatic Development. Arkansas Undergraduate Research Proceedings. Accepted for publication.


Funded Research
(last six years)
Cloning and Functional Characterization of an Avian Pituitary Gland Vasotocin Receptor. NSF. 2001-present.

Hepatic beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression. NIH. 1993-96.

Molecular mechanisms of beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression. Faculty Scholarship Award Program. 1994.

Transcription control of beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression in the mammalian liver. SILO-SURF. 1996.

Arkansas Center for Membrane Biology. NSF. 1997.

Developmental Regulation of hepatic beta2-adrenergic receptor gene expression. NSF.

Professional Memberships Adjunct Professor, Physiology and Biophysics Department, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Poultry Science Association
Sigma Xi (President 1985-86)
Alpha Epsilon Delta
Endocrine Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science


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