title: The M-ganglion cell density gradient in New World monkeys.
abstract: The M-ganglion cell distribution was studied in the retinae of New World monkeys, the diurnal Cebus and the nocturnal Aotus. Retinal whole mounts were stained by the neurofibrillar method of Gros-Schultze. The M-ganglion cell distribution in the Cebus and Aotus is similar to that reported for Old World primates, such as the Macaca. The M-ganglion cell density peak occurs in the foveal slope and declines towards the periphery. There is a nasotemporal asymmetry: in the Cebus retina the M-ganglion cell density is 1.2-4.3 times higher in the nasal when compared to the temporal region at the equivalent eccentricities; in the Aotus, the nasotemporal asymmetry is smaller, 1.6-2.2 higher in the nasal region. We compared the M-ganglion cell density with previously published values for the density of the total population of ganglion cells and observed a larger proportion of M-ganglion cells in the Aotus, when compared with Cebus or Macaca.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016645:Aotidae; D002428:Cebus; D002452:Cell Count; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology*