FOXL2是影响卵泡选择与发育的重要转录因子，在卵泡颗粒细胞中表达；本项目拟研究FOXL2在鸡卵泡选择与等级卵泡发育中的作用及其机制。研究将先在颗粒细胞中过表达或敲减FOXL2后进行RNA-seq获取受影响的基因，了解其在卵泡选择前后的颗粒细胞中影响的生物学过程，阐明其在鸡卵泡选择和发育中的作用，并推测受影响的信号通路；同时通过CHIP-seq在鸡基因组中筛选可能受FOXL2直接调控的基因。结合二者寻找受FOXL2直接调控、且表达量受增减FOXL2影响较大的基因及其所在的通路，以此为起点、在卵泡选择前后的颗粒细胞及整体培养的卵泡中进行功能验证，最终确认FOXL2对鸡卵泡选择及卵泡发育的作用及其（部分）作用机制。本研究的顺利实施有助于填补FOXL2在产蛋鸡卵巢中研究的空缺，为完善FOXL2的功能奠定基础，为利用FOXL2充分挖掘鸡的产蛋潜能提供新思路。

Follicular development and follicle selection is the prerequisite of egg laying in chicken. FOXL2 (Forkhead box L2), as a critical transcription factor expressing in chicken granulosa cells, impacts on follicle selection and folliculogenesis and the objective of this project is to study the functions and mechanisms of FOXL2 on follicle selection and development. Firstly, RNA sequencing would be conducted in cultured chicken granulosa cells after over-expressing and/or knock down by siRNA of FOXL2 to obtain the genes affected and accordingly know the biological processes influenced by changing FOXL2, and the signal pathway influenced by FOXL2 and also its functions on follicle selection and folliculogenesis would be postulated. In the same time, the possible targets regulated directly by FOXL2 would be screened by CHIP-seq in chicken genome . The genes, affected by FOXL2 and also been the direct targets of FOXL2, would be mapped in the signal pathways by combining the results of above-mentioned experiments. And the effects of the signal pathways influenced by changing FOXL2 would be verified in both cultured granulosa cells and whole follicles in vitro, beginning from the direct target. Finally this research will confirm the functions and mechanism of FOXL2 in chicken follicle selection and development. The results of this research will be helpful for filling the gap of the roles of FOXL2 in hen’s ovary and provide a basis for perfecting the functions of FOXL2, and pave a new way to improve chicken egg production by using FOXL2.