The relationship between cell density and the nasotemporal division in the rat retina

Cell counts in the ganglion cell layer of the rat retina have been undertaken following unilateral injections of horseradish peroxidase into the ipsilateral thalamus. By retrograde transport, the tracer defined the location of the uncrossed retinal projection, making it possible to determine the relationship between the area of highest cell density and the nasotemporal division. Here it is demonstrated that unlike in the primate and cat, these two regions of retinal specialisation reside in different locations, with the nasotemporal division displaced temporally to the area of highest cell density.