Chris Baylis, Ph.D.
Professor of Physiology and Functional Genomics
Professor of Medicine
J. Robert Cade Professor of Physiology
Director of the UF Hypertension Center

Phone:	(352) 392-7869
Fax:	(352) 392-7935
Office:	M544
E-mail:	baylisc@ufl.edu

Ph.D., Leeds University, England, 1974
Postdoctoral Fellowships, University of California, San Francisco and
Harvard Medical School, Boston 1974 - 1977.

CV and Bibliography

Research Interests

Renal Physiology:

Specific areas: Renal hemodynamics; Blood pressure control; Kidney in pregnancy; Aging kidney; Sexual dimorphism in kidney function and blood pressure control; Nitric oxide in renal physiology and disease; Progression of kidney disease; Vascular endothelial function.

Description of Research:

We are currently working in several major areas:

1. Aging changes in the kidney related to the renal and peripheral nitric oxide system.
   
2. Mechanisms of progressive glomerular diseases with particular interest in nitric oxide deficiency as part of the pathogenesis.
   
3. Role of nitric oxide in physiologic control of blood pressure and kidney function; interactions with other vasoactive control systems.
   
4. Mechanisms of pregnancy-induced changes in kidney function and the interaction between pregnancy and underlying disease conditions such as high blood pressure and chronic renal disease.
   

We use a variety of techniques: Clinical studies involve blood sampling and urine collections under conditions of dietary control. The conscious, chronically catheterized rat model allows us to look at electrolyte excretions and responses to various hormones in an intact, unstressed animal, as well as following animals longitudinally through pregnancy, evolving kidney disease, experimentally-induced hypertension etc. The glomerular micropuncture technique involves direct sampling from surface structures in the kidney, and allows a complete evaluation of cortical glomerular function. In vitro techniques include cell culture (with emphasis on endothelial cell function and particularly nitric oxide pathways), biochemical assays on enzyme activity, quantitation of protein density by Western blot and quantitation of mRNA levels in collaboration with other laboratories. We have also established HPLC techniques for determination of native and methylated aminoacids.

Representative Recent Publications:

• Wagner L, Riggleman A, Erdely A, Couser W, Baylis C. Reduced NOS activity in rats with chronic renal disease due to glomerulonephritis. Kidney Int. 62: 532-536, 2002.
  
• Wagner L, Klein J, Sands J, Baylis C. Urea transporters are widely distributed in endothelial cells and mediate inhibition of L-arginine transport. Am J Physiol Renal. 283:F578-F582, 2002.
  
• Szabo A, Wagner L, Erdely A, Lau K, Baylis C. Renal neuronal nitric oxide synthase protein expression as a marker of renal function. Kidney Int. 64: 1765-1771, 2003.
  
• Baylis C, Atzopdien E, Freshour G, Engels K. PPAR agonists provides superior renal protection vs. angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition in a rat model of type 2 diabetes with obesity. JPET.307:854-060, 2003.
  
• Ni XN, Safai M, Rishi R, Baylis C, Humphreys MH. Increased Activity of cGMP-Specific Phosphodiesterase (PDE5) Contributes to Renal Resistance to Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in the Pregnant Rat. J Am Soc Nephrol. 15: 1254-1260, 2004.
  
• Erdely A, Freshour G, Smith C,Engels K, Olson J, Baylis C. Protection against puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) induced chronic renal disease in the Wistar Furth. Am J Physiol.287: F81-F89, 2004.