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University of Wyoming

Faculty, Staff and Graduate Assistants

Francis W. (Bill) Flynn
Personal biography
Graduate Students

Francis W. (Bill) Flynn
Director, Graduate Neuroscience Program
Neuroscience; Regulatory physiology

B.A. University of Colorado
Ph.D. Kansas State University
Post doctoral: University of Pennsylvania
flynn@uwyo.edu • 307-766-6446

Research:
My Research






My research focuses on identifying the neural and hormonal systems that are involved in the control fluid balance. The regulation of fluid balance requires behavioral (control of salt intake) and neuroendocrine responses (release of vasopressin and oxytocin), and our laboratory focuses on the neural mechanisms that underlie these responses. Behavioral testing, neuroanatomical tracing, immunohistochemical, and molecular biology techniques are used to identify the neural structures and chemical phenotypes of neurons that participate in the regulation of fluid balance and osmoregulation.

Techniques, like those shown in the photomicrograph, are currently used in the lab to characterize neural systems regulating salt intake. Immunohistochemistry revealed that following an osmotic challenge, the tachykinin NK3 receptor that is expressed on vasopressin neurons is activated, internalized to the cytoplasm and then transported to the cell nucleus! This receptor contains the peptide sequence needed for transport to the nucleus where it may act as a transcription factor, to perhaps regulate the expression of vasopressin or other receptors. We have purified the nucleus and verified by Western analysis that the receptor is present in the nucleus following osmotic challenge. Just what a membrane (g-protein coupled) receptor is doing in the cell nucleus is a rather interesting question!

Publications:

REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES

2005

Adams, D.J., Haley, G., & Flynn, F.W. (2005). Repeated experience with sodium deficiency enhances salt intake and induces persistent c-Fos and Fos B expression in rat brain. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience, 30.

Flynn, F.W. (2005). Intraventricular injections of tachykinin NK3 receptor agonist reduce the gain of the baroreflex in unrestrained rats. Experimental Neurology, 193: 118-124.

Haley, G.E. & Flynn, F.W. (2005). Agonist trafficking of NK3 receptor on vasopressinergic neurons. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience, 30.

Jensen, D.D, Lang, A.L., & Flynn, F.W. (2005). Characterization of the neurokinin B promoter in rat. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience, 30.

McBride, S.M., Culver, B., & Flynn, F.W. (2005). Prenatal and early postnatal salt experience affects motor responses to amphetamine in adult male WKY and SHR rats. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience, 30.

McBride, S.M., Smith-Sonneborn, J., Oeltgen, P., and Flynn, F.W. (2005). Delta opiate receptor agonist facilitate mean arterial pressure recovery following hemorrhage in conscious rats. Shock, 23:264-268.

Schamber, K.C., Lang, A.L., & Flynn, F.W. (2005). Neurokinin B transcript in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus is modulated by hyperosmolarity in rats. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience, 30.

2003

Bealer, S.L. & Flynn, F.W. (2003). Central neurokinin 3 receptors increase systemic oxytocin release: Interaction with norepinephrine. Experimental Neurology, 184: 1027-1033.

Flynn, F.W. & Stricker, E.M. (2003). Hypovolemia stimulates intraoral water and NaCl intake in intact but not in chronic decerebrate rats. Physiology & Behavior, 80: 281-287.

Flynn, F.W., Culver, B, and Newton, S.V. (2003). Salt intake by spontaneously hypertensive rats. Physiology & Behavior, 78: 689-696.

2002

Flynn, F.W. (2002). Sodium deficiency enhances the behavioral responses to centrally administered vasopressin in rats. Peptides, 23: 1427-1432.

Flynn, F.W., Kirchner, T.R., and Clinton, M. (2002). Brain vasopressin and salt appetite. American Journal of Physiology 282: R1236-R1244.

2001

Flynn, F.W., Heyborne, R. & Dolence, K. (2001) Internalization of NK3 receptor agonist, senktide, following intraventricular injection in rat. Regulatory Peptides, 97, 47.

2000

Flynn, F.W. (2000). Intraventricular injection of tachykinin NK3 receptor agonists suppress the ingestion of NaCl-associated tastes. Behavioral Neuroscience, 114, 1223-1228

Press releases: