title: M and P retinal ganglion cells of the owl monkey: morphology, size and photoreceptor convergence.
abstract: We have estimated photoreceptor convergence to M and P retinal ganglion cells of two closely related nocturnal (owl monkey, Aotus) and diurnal (capuchin monkey, Cebus) anthropoids. Rod convergence is higher in the owl monkey retina while cone convergence to both M and P cells are very similar in the retinas of the owl monkey and the capuchin monkey. These results indicate that during evolution, the owl monkey retina has undergone changes compatible with a more nocturnal lifestyle, but kept a cone to ganglion cell relation similar to that found in diurnal primates.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Pará, 66075-900 Belém, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: V H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001029:Aotus trivirgatus; D002428:Cebus; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D017950:Ganglia, Sensory / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000166:cytology*; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology