Distribution of Retinal Ganglion Cells Projecting into the Nucleus of the Optic Tract in Rat

The present study indicates that visual signals responsible for OKN are conducted through the retinal ganglion cells mainly contralaterally, and only in the ventral region of the retina ipsilateral to the injection site. The retinal ganglion cells projecting into the NOT ipsilateral to the injection site were identified as small- and medium-sized cells in the rat. The density of the ventral ganglion cells of the retina contralateral to the injection site was lower than that in any other regions of the retina except for the dorsal region of the retina, and the density of the ventral ganglion cells ipsilateral to the injection site was about 4 times greater than that on the contralateral side. This finding requires physiological investigation in the future.