[Retinal ganglion cells of the albino rat: a qualitative and quantitative study]

Ganglion cells were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively in whole mount preparations of the albino rat retina, stained with cresylviolet. Cells of different size are distributed in different density over the retina, mainly arranged radially. The ganglion cell density varies between about 1200/mm2 at the edge of the retina and 5000/mm2 in the central area, centered about 1,5--2 mm away from the optic disc in the upper temporal quandrant. The mean soma diameter of the ganglion cells ranged from 7--23 micron. Based upon soma diameter histograms with regard to the eccentricities of the area centralis, ganglion cells were classified into three groups: small (7--10 micrometer diameter) mediumsized (11--14 micrometer) and large (15--23 micrometer). Relative frequencies of these groups were 53, 40 and 7% respectively. In the area centralis is the highest density of small cells. Here the relative frequencies were 62, 34 and 4% respectively. The diameter of the retina runs to 8 mm and the area to more than 40 mm2. In 2 retina the total number of ganglion cells were about 108000 and 111000 respectively.