eye_upper_slim has soma location has soma location neuron retinal ganglion cell gangliocyte RGC FMA:67765 MESH:D012165 https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_0000740 BTO:0001800 Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina, playing a critical role in the visual pathway. There are approximately 1 million RGCs in a typical human eye, each receiving inputs from multiple photoreceptor cells. As the only neurons in the retina that send information to the brain, they are the final output neurons of the vertebrate retina, and their axons constitute the majority of fibers in the optic nerve. The primary function of RGCs is to receive visual information from photoreceptors via intermediary bipolar and amacrine cells, process it, and transmit it to the brain through their axons. The information that RGCs relay encompasses various aspects of the visual field, including color, contrast, brightness, and motion. A diverse population of RGCs, up to 30 distinct subtypes, each contributes to a specific aspect of vision, such as object motion, edge detection, or color contrast, illustrating the complexity of visual data processing that occurs already at the retinal level. RGCs also play a role in the regulation of circadian rhythms and the pupillary light reflex. Some RGCs contain the photopigment melanopsin and respond directly to light, separately from the retinal rod and cone cells found in the outer retina. These photosensitive RGCs are primarily involved in subconscious vision, particularly the regulation of circadian rhythms and the pupillary light reflex in response to changes in ambient light intensity. Hence, RGCs serve a highly specialized and diverse role in transmitting visual information and regulating light-dependent responses, view modalities, and key physiological processes. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) retinal ganglion cell ZFA:0009310 ganglion cell of retina RGCs The set of neurons that receives neural inputs via bipolar, horizontal and amacrine cells. The axons of these cells make up the optic nerve. retina